Luigi Di Biagio to take charge of Italy for March friendlies

Italy's Under 21 manager will take temporary charge of the senior team until a full-time replacement is found, the Italian federation confirms

(FILES) In this file photo taken on June 02, 2016 Italy's coach Luigi Di Biagio gestures during the U21 international friendly football match between Italy and France at the Pierluigi Penzo Stadium in Venice.
Italy's under-21 coach Luigi Di Biagio has been asked to take temporary charge of the senior team until a full-time replacement is found, the Italian federation said on February 2, 2018. Without a coach since their shock World Cup qualifying elimination in November, Italy take on both England and Argentina in friendlies in March.
 / AFP PHOTO / MARCO BERTORELLO
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Italy's Under 21 manager Luigi Di Biagio will take temporary charge of the senior team until a full-time replacement is found, the Italian federation (FIGC) confirmed on Monday.

Without a manager since their shock World Cup qualifying elimination in November, Italy take on both England and Argentina in friendlies in March.

"We have decided to give the job to Luigi Di Biagio given there are two internationals against Argentina in Manchester and against England in London in March," the FIGC said.

Temporary leader of the FIGC, Alessandro Costacurta, first told reporters on Friday the move was set to happen.

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"For the moment Gigi can consider himself coach of the Under 21's and the interim boss of the senior side too," said Costacurta, a former Italy international who won five European Cups and played 663 times for AC Milan.

"The most important things are the next matches and finding a new coach."

Italy lost to Sweden in the World Cup play-offs in November after which Gian Piero Ventura left the post, as the nation's fans went into mourning.

Di Biagio is an outsider amongst a star line-up of names being linked with the job including Roberto Mancini, Antonio Conte, Claudio Ranieri and Carlo Ancelotti.