Abodi: ‘No Winners or Losers’ After Malago FIGC Compromise

FolioPitch.com – 08 October 2026 | Sports Minister Andrea Abodi has declared that “there are no winners or losers” following the compromise that saw Giovanni Malago appointed as commissioner of the Italian Football Federation (FIGC). The remark, which came a day after CONI unanimously voted to place the federation under special administration, encapsulates Abodi’s view that the resolution marks a fresh start rather than a victory for any side. “Abodi after Malago compromise There are no winners or losers” has become the defining phrase of the minister’s stance, emphasizing reconciliation over confrontation.

Malago was elected FIGC president in June, but CONI ruled the vote invalid because he was not a registered member when he stood. Under Tuesday’s compromise, he steps down as president but will run the federation as commissioner until fresh elections, in which he is expected to stand again. Abodi, speaking to reporters at a Mondadori Academy presentation, insisted the government never intended to overturn the election result. “Nobody wanted to overturn the outcome of an assembly on the president of a private association,” he said. “I would have felt defeated if nothing had happened. I hoped the rules would be respected by everyone, always and everywhere.”

The minister’s rhetoric has been carefully calibrated to lower the temperature after weeks of tension. He invoked Nelson Mandela, noting that “in sport you have the chance to win or to learn, and if you learn, you don’t lose.” For Abodi, the episode should be a lesson in governance rather than a battleground. “For me there are no losers and winners,” he reiterated. “I don’t see life as a clash between teams, and I said that to Malago in our last meeting too: we have to think about the good of the system.”

Abodi also dismissed suggestions that politics had hijacked Italian football. “The idea of politics taking over is a recurring caricature, but it has no foundation,” he said. Instead, he framed the compromise as a necessary step to restore credibility. “Since football has shown that the idea of justice being equal for all doesn’t always prevail, I think the step forward made yesterday, and made in harmony, is positive.”

Asked whether he agreed with CONI president Luciano Buonfiglio that sport had been the winner, Abodi was more guarded. “I’ve learned one thing: thoughts and facts count for little, what matters is the way they’re told,” he said. “And in this situation, the telling hasn’t always matched what was actually happening. I’ll stop there.” He stressed that his focus remains on reform. “With him as commissioner too, we have to work, if it’s true that football needs to change and reform itself, questioning itself with a bit of self-criticism. That goes for me too. The time has come to sit around a table and tackle the necessary issues, and I reiterate that I’m available.”

The compromise leaves Malago in a powerful interim role, but it also sets the stage for a potentially contentious election campaign. Malago, who also heads the Milano Cortina 2026 organizing committee, has not commented publicly since the CONI decision. His allies argue that the original vote reflected the will of the assembly, while critics contend that his candidacy violated statutes. Abodi’s repeated insistence that “Abodi after Malago compromise There are no winners or losers” suggests he hopes to avoid a prolonged feud that could further destabilize Italian football.

Beyond the FIGC crisis, Abodi praised Roberto Mancini’s Italy after their four-game Nations League window. “I hope football’s leadership, myself included, can now follow the national team’s lead,” he said. Italy’s performances offered a reminder of what can be achieved when focus shifts to the pitch. For Abodi, that is the model to emulate: unity, professionalism, and a commitment to the collective good.

In conclusion, the appointment of Giovanni Malago as FIGC commissioner may have temporarily resolved the immediate crisis, but the deeper issues of governance and reform remain. Abodi’s mantra that “Abodi after Malago compromise There are no winners or losers” is both a diplomatic gesture and a challenge to all stakeholders. Only time will tell whether this compromise leads to genuine renewal or merely postpones the reckoning. What is clear is that Italian football cannot afford another season of off-field turmoil. The ball is now in Malago’s court, and the minister is watching closely.