Malagò: “Italy's defeat against Switzerland? It seemed like an episode of 'Scherzi a Parte'…”

In a recent interview with Corriere della Sera, the president of CONI, Giovanni Malagò, expressed his dismay at the crushing defeat suffered against Switzerland. “Faced with the defeat against Switzerland I thought I was in an episode of 'Scherzi a parte'”, declared Malagò, revealing a mixture of disbelief and frustration.

Malagò he reflected on the sense of helplessness he experienced during the match. “I have witnessed defeats, of course. In individual sports, it can happen that the tennis player or swimmer on duty, on the very day of the competition, due to a physical or mental problem, has a terrible performance. But in a team sport, with the possibility of making five substitutions out of eleven, the scene seemed unbelievable to me: the players on the field conveyed the feeling of frustration and humiliation,” he said.

Malagò's analysis is merciless: the players, according to him, appeared apathetic and unmotivated. “It seemed like they didn't even notice, because usually if you're in trouble you get carried away by the competitive spirit, but they were really amorphous and never gave the impression of putting their heart and soul into it,” observed the president of CONI, underlining the lack of fighting spirit among the players.

But Malagò does not stop at criticizing behavior on the field. He also highlights a broader responsibility that involves the entire sports system. “Only in this sport is there an unwritten law, which is the price to pay when a discipline is so popular. In the event of a defeat, the responsibility is not only of those who go on the field but also of the managers,” he concluded, thus opening a reflection on the managerial responsibilities in the management of Italian football.