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Roberto Mancini has been named the head coach of Italy's national team for a second time, tasked with revitalising the Azzurri who have missed out on the last three World Cups, FIGC president Giovanni Malago said Tuesday. Technical director Roberto Maldini, who reportedly threatened to resign if Mancini was appointed, has been replaced by Claudio Ranieri. "Today we have a new coach and a new technical director," Malago told reporters, announcing another press conference with Mancini and Ranieri on Wednesday. "I felt that the person who should be and become the Italian national football team's head coach was Roberto Mancini, for a whole series of considerations for which, as always, I honestly take responsibility." Gennaro Gattuso resigned as Italy coach after their World Cup qualification play-off final defeat by Bosnia and Herzegovina in March. The 61-year-old Mancini was previously Italy boss from 2018 until 2023, leading them to the Euro 2020 title. He has been preferred to another ex-national team coach in Antonio Conte. Maldini had also apparently said he would resign if Conte was chosen, reportedly wanting Brazil-born former Italy midfielder Thiago Motta to be given the job. Andrea Pirlo, who had been tipped to take charge, announced on Monday that he was no longer a candidate. The former midfielder had come under heavy criticism over his controversial ties with a Russian sports-betting company and what detractors viewed as a limited coaching resume. Divisive choice Mancini's appointment, however, remains divisive despite leading Italy to the Euro 2020 title and a 37-match unbeaten streak. His abrupt resignation as Italy coach in the summer of 2023 to take charge of Saudi Arabia reportedly damaged his standing with many senior FIGC officials, particularly as the Azzurri were struggling in their qualifying campaign for Euro 2024. Mancini left his job with the Saudi side just 14 months later. He was most recently coach of Qatari club Al Sadd, with whom he signed a two-year deal last November. Now he will turn his attentions to the job of taking Italy back to the top of the international game. The four-time world champions have not reached a World Cup since 2014, and have not even played a knock-out stage match at the tournament since winning the 2006 final against France on penalties. The one success in that time was the European Championship victory, also secured in a shoot-out against England five years ago. Their title defence, with Luciano Spalletti at the helm, ended with a last-16 loss to Switzerland in 2024. Mancini also won three consecutive Serie A titles as Inter Milan boss between 2005 and 2008. He then led Manchester City to their first English league title since 1968 with a famous last-day victory over QPR in the 2011-12 Premier League season.  

Roma took a huge step towards returning to the Champions League by beating local rivals Lazio 2-0 on Sunday in a feisty derby which finished with both teams down to 10 men, while Napoli won 3-0 at Pisa to secure a top-four spot. Gianluca Mancini smashed home two headers from corners, one in each half, at the Stadio Olimpico to move Roma up to fourth thanks also to Juventus' shock 2-0 home defeat to Fiorentina. Roma haven't played in the Champions League since being knocked out in the last 16 by Porto in 2019, an absence which has left the capital club lagging behind their rivals. But a win next weekend at relegated Verona will guarantee Roma a spot in Europe's elite club competition thanks to a two-point gap separating them from both fifth-placed Como, 1-0 winners against Parma, and Juve who are now sixth. "We should be happy because now it depends on us, we no longer have to rely on other teams' results," Roma coach Gian Piero Gasperini told reporters. "Today can be happy for winning the derby and then we'll get to preparing for the next match, which is huge." The derby and all four other fixtures were pushed forward by half an hour to avoid a clash with the men's final at the Italian Open tennis tournament, which will take place a stone's throw from the Olimpico later this afternoon. A massive security presence was on show all around the stadium but the atmosphere in the ground was one-sided with the Lazio fans continuing their months-long boycott of matches in protest against owner Claudio Lotito. Roma's loud home support belted out song after song after a potentially massive win which on Sunday meant much more than just local pride. The volatile nature of the derby was highlighted by Nicolo Rovella and Wesley both being sent off in a scrap shortly after Mancini bulleted home the decisive second goal from Paulo Dybala's corner in the 66th minute. Milan hold on, Napoli in AC Milan are third, level on 70 points with Roma after a hard-fought 2-1 win at Genoa which came thanks to a Christopher Nkunku penalty five minutes after half-time and Zachary Athekame's drilled strike eight minutes from the end. The seven-time European champions' form has fallen off a cliff in recent weeks but a win at home over Cagliari next weekend will guarantee Massimiliano Allegri's team a spot in the top four. Napoli were always favourites to win at relegated Pisa and made no mistake to make sure of their spot in next season's Champions League. Scott McTominay got the ball rolling in the 21st minute with his 14th goal of the season in all competitions, and the deal was as good as done five minutes later when Amir Rrahmani forced Eljif Elmas' corner. Rasmus Hojlund rounded off a straight-forward win in stoppage time as Napoli pulled five points ahead of Como and Juventus with one game remaining. Denmark striker Hojlund has been on loan from Manchester United who will now receive a reported 44 million euros as Champions League qualification has triggered the obligation to buy in the deal agreed with the Prmeier League giants. Juventus, who looked like the one team who would easily stay in the top four, now need a helping hand after a dismal performance against Fiorentina team which had nothing to play for other than to give a bloody nose to their fierce rivals. Luciano Spalletti's team, who face local rivals Torino next weekend. are not out of the pitcure yet as they have a better head-to-head record than Roma and a significantly better goal difference than Milan, so dropped points from both those teams or Como would leave an opening. "I can't judge my players just on the basis of today... but the fact that we haven't reacted, not played at our best is down to me," said Spalletti. Later, Inter Milan will celebrate their 21st league title at the San Siro after their fixture with Verona, with the trophy presentation on the pitch before a day-long parade around Milan.

Al Sadd coach Roberto Mancini expressed deep pride after leading his side to the Qatar Stars League title for the third consecutive season on Monday, stressing that the achievement reflected 'the significant work carried out within the club throughout the campaign, as well as the team’s stability and continuous development'. On Monday Al Sadd beat Al Shamal 3-2 in the final round of the QSL campaign at Jassim Bin Hamad Stadium in Doha. Al Sadd have now won the league crown for the 19th time.  Speaking after the title triumph, Mancini, 61, said on Monday: “First of all, I would like to congratulate the players, the technical and administrative staff, and Al Sadd fans on this important title. Winning the league for the third consecutive time is not easy; it is the result of daily hard work and great commitment from everyone within the team. From the beginning of the season, we knew the challenge would be difficult, but the players showed strong character and a winning mentality that helped us overcome every obstacle.”**media[439756]**Mancini, who joined Al Sadd last November, added on Monday: “What distinguishes Al Sadd this season is that we did not rely on one player or a specific group. We had a complete team capable of finding solutions in different situations. We were the most consistent in terms of performance compared to other teams, and we were able to impose our playing style in most matches. This reflects the great work done by the players in daily training.” Mancini also noted that the title race was highly competitive, saying: “This season’s league was full of challenges, and all teams performed well. What made the difference for us was our high level of focus and constant desire to win. When you have a group that believes in what it does and works with a unified spirit, results come naturally in the end.”**media[439757]**He concluded in a story posted on Al Sadd website: “I am also proud of the individual development many players have shown throughout the season. We saw clear improvement in physical, technical, and mental aspects, which is an important part of the team’s project. Success is not only about winning titles, but also about developing players and maintaining the team’s identity.” 

Al Sadd will be fighting to keep their AFC Champions League Elite hopes alive when they host Shabab Al Ahli on Tuesday, with the Qatari side languishing on just two points from five matches. Victory for the UAE club would confirm their place in the round of 16.Roberto Mancini’s first continental outing as Al Sadd coach ended in a 3-1 defeat to fellow Emirati side Al Wahda, and the Italian will be demanding a far more resilient performance from his players at Jassim Bin Hamad Stadium.The two sides meet for the first time since 2014, with Al Sadd winless in the competition this season and having lost their last three matches in all competitions.Ahead of the encounter, Mancini stressed the importance of the fixture to Sadd’s qualification hopes. “We have a very important match ahead of us against a strong opponent. We will play to win so that we can climb the league standings,” Mancini said. “We are suffering from a shortage of players due to some joining their national teams for the Africa Cup of Nations, as well as injuries. Their absence will certainly have an impact, but despite that we are ready for the match.”The former Italy coach acknowledged the challenge posed by Shabab Al Ahli but underlined his side’s determination to remain in contention. “We know our position in the standings and we must do our best to maintain our hopes in the competition,” he said. “We will approach the match with the ambition to win, even though the task is difficult against a strong competitor with many distinguished players. This requires us to play with great focus.”In contrast, Shabab Al Ahli arrive in Doha in confident mood, having claimed three wins from five matches. Two more victories would see the Dubai club equal their best-ever run in continental competition, and with Al Sadd struggling for consistency, they will be confident of securing qualification.Shabab Al Ahli head coach Paulo Sousa praised his opponents while stressing the need for focus. “We will face a tough competitor and a team that has dominated Qatari football titles in recent years, with many good players,” said the Portuguese coach. “They are organised in all lines, and I am also happy to face Roberto Mancini, who is a capable coach with great experience.”Sousa added: “We want to continue delivering good performances and maintain our balanced progress in the standings. This match represents Al Sadd’s last chance to keep their qualification hopes alive, which means they will have a strong desire to win, and that requires us to remain fully focused.”

Roberto Mancini’s arrival at Al Sadd marks a major test not just for the celebrated Italian coach, but also for Qatar’s most decorated football club.For Mancini, who turns 61 at the end of this month, returning to the Gulf barely a year after a turbulent stint with Saudi Arabia represents both a lucrative opportunity and a reputational gamble. He will reportedly earn up to €21mn over two and a half years — a windfall that extends his run as one of world football’s best-paid managers.Al Sadd confirmed the appointment Thursday, announcing that Mancini had signed a two-and-a-half-season deal and sharing photos of him holding the club shirt. “Benvenuto Signor Mancini,” the club posted on social media, using the Italian word for “welcome,” without revealing financial details.Mancini began his managerial career in Italy with Fiorentina, Lazio and Inter Milan. His most successful spell came during his time with Inter, where he won three consecutive Serie A titles, two Coppa Italia crowns and two Supercoppa Italiana triumphs between 2004 and 2008.He later managed Manchester City from 2009 to 2013, leading them to FA Cup glory in 2011 and a maiden Premier League title the following season — the club’s first in 44 years. After a second-place finish in 2012–13, Mancini was replaced by Manuel Pellegrini.Further spells followed at Galatasaray and Zenit Saint Petersburg, either side of a second stint at Inter, before he guided Italy to the Euro 2020 title. Yet since that triumph, Mancini’s reputation has waned. His high-profile tenure with Saudi Arabia — launched amid huge fanfare and a reported €30mn-a-year salary — ended after just 14 months following disappointing results in the Asian Cup and World Cup qualifiers. Reports suggest he received around €65mn in compensation after his departure.Linked briefly with the Nottingham Forest job before the Premier League club appointed Sean Dyche in October, Mancini now takes charge of an Al Sadd side that has struggled for consistency this season despite the marquee signing of former Liverpool forward Roberto Firmino.The Qatari giants — who dismissed Felix Sanchez in October despite winning the league and cup double last term — currently sit sixth in the Qatar Stars League with 14 points from nine matches, eight adrift of leaders Al Gharafa. In the AFC Champions League Elite, they are 10th in their group and face an uphill battle to reach the knockout rounds.Mancini’s appointment is therefore as much about restoring Al Sadd’s domestic dominance as it is about salvaging his own managerial credibility. The club will expect an immediate turnaround, while Mancini will be eager to prove he can still deliver success outside Europe’s top leagues.A clause reportedly allowing him to leave in 2026 adds intrigue to what is already a bold gamble by both sides. The move also represents a significant coup for the Wolves, who previously rebuilt their project under their former player Xavi Hernandez before the Barcelona legend’s return to Spain. By bringing in Mancini, Al Sadd are once again banking on a high-profile leader to raise standards and reassert their supremacy in Qatar.“This contract comes as part of the club management’s efforts to strengthen the technical staff with distinguished coaching expertise capable of achieving the team’s ambitions and continuing its run of success,” Al Sadd said in a statement Thursday.Hours after signing the contract, Mancini immediately donned the Al Sadd training kit and took charge of his first practice session. His debut match at the helm will be on November 22 at home against Al Sailiya in the Qatar Stars League. With Al Sadd seeking to climb the table and rediscover their identity, all eyes will be on whether Mancini can spark the kind of revival that once made him one of Europe’s elite managers.

Al Sadd have appointed former Inter Milan and Italy boss Roberto Mancini as their new manager on a two-and-a-half-season deal, the Qatari club announced on Thursday. The 60-year-old Italian returns to management over a year after leaving his role with the Saudi Arabia national team. Mancini takes the reins at Al Sadd, who sit sixth in the Qatari top-flight with 14 points from nine matches, eight adrift of table-toppers Al-Gharafa. **media[381176]** His most successful spell as a manager came during his time with Inter. He led Inter to three Serie A titles, two Coppa Italia crowns and two Supercoppa Italiana triumphs during his first spell at the club between 2004-2008. He also guided Italy to the 2020 European Championship title and led Manchester City to their first Premier League crown in the 2011-12 campaign. Mancini was linked with the Nottingham Forest job before the Premier League club appointed Sean Dyche in October.