Valentini warns: Lega Serie A split, Galliani race for the FIGC

During the radio broadcast, in the Maracanà column, former FIGC executive Antonello Valentini analyzed the electoral situation, emphasizing that the final decision lies with the Lega Serie A and that the possible candidacy of Adriano Galliani is at the centre of the debate.

Valentini said: "I try to analyse a situation that at present is entirely in the hands of the Lega Serie A. Whoever manages to secure the candidacy will be the sole candidate for the Federation presidency." He also highlighted that the other leagues, including the Lega Dilettanti, will converge on the candidate chosen by Serie A.

Internal division within the League

According to the former executive, the League is split: "If you think that Malagò's major sponsors, namely Marotta and Percassi, now want Galliani, it is clear that the League is split." The dispute concerns the minimum eleven signatures required to submit a candidacy, a requirement that, in his view, has not yet been met.

The countdown has now begun: only a few days remain and the other components will speak on Wednesday, hoping that the Lega Serie A can indicate its definitive name.

Malagò's role

If the Assocalciatori were to decide to support Malagò, the former FIGC president would not expose himself to a clear defeat, because he does not have all the necessary components. Malagò's supporters, in June, had imagined the election of a puppet who would obey their orders.

Among the names mentioned are Mancini, Bianchedi, Signori and the general secretary, figures who, according to Valentini, should be involved in defining the candidacy.

Stalemate hypothesis

One possibility, albeit considered fanciful, is that neither Malagò nor Galliani reach the eleven signatures, causing a stalemate and the appointment of a new commissioner, unlikely to be Malagò again. The Lega Dilettanti, in June, had voted for Abete, who now declares that he is no longer a candidate and makes his votes available to the Serie A candidate.

On one hand, Malagò is convinced that he possesses the eleven Serie A signatures; on the other, Galliani is backed by Percassi and Marotta, who claim to be certain of gathering the necessary signatures, otherwise they would risk embarrassing their candidate.

The FIGC elections, therefore, constitute a decisive crossroads for the governance of Italian football, with the Lega Serie A at the centre of a dispute that could redraw the power balances among the various components of the sport system.