The Italian Football Federation (FIGC) has held talks with former Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola and Brazilian coach Carlo Ancelotti as they look for a new national team coach following Italy’s lack of qualification. FIFA World Cup for the third straight time.The club hope to appoint a new coach later this week as they look to rebuild after another disappointing campaign.The former defender of Italy and AC Milan, Paolo Maldini, who was appointed as the director of the federation earlier this month, attended a meeting with Serie A clubs on Thursday together with the new president of the FIGC Giovanni Malagò and the special adviser Leonardo.When asked about Guardiola after the meeting, Maldini confirmed that the Spaniard is one of the candidates but said that the process is still ongoing.“To be honest, today we cannot give news about what is happening. You have identified one of our goals,” said Maldini.“We cannot hide that we spoke to Carlo Ancelotti before we spoke to Pep. To be honest, it seemed better to start with the best in the world, to see their presence.”Guardiola left Manchester City at the end of last season after 10 years at the club, winning 35 major trophies during his tenure with Barcelona, ​​​​Bayern Munich and City.According to Maldini, he and Leonardo spent three days in Barcelona to meet with Guardiola to discuss the Italian job.“The best thing would be to announce a new coach this week, but it’s too much to wait for the person we want,” Maldini said. “So there is urgency, but not too much within us.”Ancelotti, meanwhile, signed an extended contract with Brazil in May that will run until the 2030 World Cup. However, Brazil endured one of the poorest World Cup performances this year, exiting in the round of 16 after losing 2-1 to Norway.The 67-year-old has won league titles in Italy, England, France, Spain and Germany, and remains the only coach to have won UEFA. Champions League five times.Italy’s failure to qualify for the World Cup after losing a playoff to Bosnia and Herzegovina in March led to the resignation of FIGC president Gabriele Gravina and head coach Gennaro Gattuso.