Today’s Papers – Calcio chaos, Gravina leaves and attacks

Rome—Italian football was plunged into turmoil on Wednesday when Gabriele Gravina tendered his resignation as president of the Italian Football Federation (FIGC), vowing to wage a three-month campaign against what he terms the government’s chronic neglect of the sport. The shock exit, mirrored by vice-commissioner Gianluigi Buffon, triggers an emergency electoral process set for 22 June, with CONI president Giovanni Malagò and former FIGC chief Giancarlo Abete emerging as the leading contenders.

Gravina’s departure, described by the outgoing president as “a convinced and pondered decision,” follows mounting friction over state funding for grassroots football and what he claims are persistent misunderstandings regarding his stance on non-professional sports. Sources inside the federation say Gravina will use his remaining mandate to press Rome for immediate structural support, intensifying pressure on the Ministry of Sport ahead of the vote.

The power vacuum arrives at a pivotal moment for the national game. The next FIGC chief will not only steer the federation through a promised ideological overhaul but will also select the successor to Gattuso for the senior technical area. Meanwhile, the FIGC electoral college remains split: Malagò enjoys broad backing among regional delegates, yet government factions have signalled reservations, leaving Abete as a compromise figure capable of bridging institutional divides.

Buffon, who had only recently accepted the vice-presidency, explained his simultaneous resignation with typical bluntness: “I would have done it immediately,” suggesting deeper discord behind the scenes. His exit strips the federation of a unifying sporting icon just as commercial negotiations intensify.

Away from the boardroom, Serie A clubs are bracing for a decisive summer. Juventus are weighing a €6 million net salary package for a priority target, while agent Jorge Mendes has held advanced talks with sporting directors Comolli and Ottolini over Bernardo, whose wage demands exceed current Bianconeri parameters but could be offset by Champions League qualification. Central midfielder Hojbjerg has re-entered the transfer radar at an estimated €12 million valuation, and Inter’s Cristian is tasked with reigniting the form of compatriot Zielinski after recent European disappointment. Defensive concerns mount for Inter as Bisseck’s injury sidelines him for upcoming fixtures against Roma and Como.

Further complicating matters, Bremer’s release clause remains fixed at €58 million, with suitors on alert, while goalkeeper Perin is in renewal discussions that could see him remain in Turin beyond the current window.

As the 22 June ballot looms, Italy’s football stakeholders confront a stark reality: the future of calcio hinges on a radical recalibration of ideas, priorities and political alliances. Whoever claims the presidency inherits not only a governance crisis but the responsibility of reshaping the sport’s identity from the grassroots up.

Gravina, defiant to the last, signalled his intent to keep fighting. “I was misunderstood,” he reiterated, leaving behind a federation—and a nation—watching anxiously for the next twist in a saga that shows no sign of abating.