Buonfiglio and his friend Malagò

One might have needed a friend to forget the mistake, to forget that a rule had been underestimated. Yet, by one’s side forever, that friend is no longer present. Luciano Buonfiglio and Giovanni Malagò are no longer friends as they were when they served as president and vice-president of CONI. Perhaps they never truly were. They respected each other; they put up with each other. But they were – and are – too different to be brothers. Malagò is a man of connections; Buonfiglio is a man of action. One played five-a-side football; the other went canoeing. One is a true Roman; the other a Neapolitan who’s gone Milanese. Men of sport, but with different backgrounds to ever truly become friends.

It has been said and written that Buonfiglio became president of CONI thanks to the support of Giovanni Malagò. But it is also true that Giovanni Malagò had tried to pave the way for Diana Bianchedi and turned to Buonfiglio when the other members of the council broke the deadlock by giving the future president the winning advice: to confirm Carlo Mornati as secretary-general. The insight of the ‘third wheel’ in the proceedings, Franco Carraro – backed by Gianni Petrucci and Gabriele Gravina – decided the outcome, sidelining Luca Pancalli. Stories that are now almost beyond the statute of limitations. However, it was precisely during those days that an incident occurred which irritated Buonfiglio. Malagò is said to have attempted a surprise move right up to the last minute; it was just a pity that the person involved, having just left his office, rang Buonfiglio himself. This sparked an irritation that then built up until the incident that caused all hell to break loose: the appointment of Diana Bianchedi, Buonfiglio’s deputy chair, as head of the national team’s delegation. A decision made without consulting or informing anyone.

Put two and two together and you will understand why Buonfiglio now answers Abodi’s phone calls more quickly than those from his old friend Giovanni, who left behind medals, honours and a few allies at CONI, but also someone highly skilled at sifting through the light and dark pages to spot any mistakes. At the heart of the storm that has put CONI and the FIGC on a collision course lies a glaring error of underestimation. And above all, that extra friend is no longer there; instead, there is now an enemy.