Guardiola turns down Italy job due to family reasons

Pep Guardiola has turned down the opportunity to become Italy’s head coach due to family reasons, the Press Association understands.

>Italian Football Federation president Giovanni Malago confirmed earlier this week that talks had taken place with the former Manchester City manager.

>But Spaniard Guardiola, who left City at the end of last season after winning six Premier League titles and the Champions League during a trophy-laden 10-year reign, now appears to be out of the running.

>Gennaro Gattuso resigned as Italy head coach in April after the four-time champions failed to qualify for a third World Cup in a row.

>Roberto Mancini, who led Italy to Euro 2020 glory, and former Azzurri midfielder Andrea Pirlo are other candidates for the vacancy.

>Malago said budget “exceptions” could be made in terms of salary for 55-year-old Guardiola, who previously coached Barcelona and Bayern Munich.

>But he also warned “it is not certain that this thing will go through.”

>Asked if Guardiola, Mancini and Pirlo were the only names on the shortlist, Malago replied: “Absolutely not. We think about a certain profile and certainly these names fall into that category.”