Di Biagio to take charge of Italy in two friendlies

Rome, Feb 5: The Italian Football Federation (FIGC) announced on Monday the appointment of Under-21 team coach Luigi Di Biagio as the coach of the national team ahead of fixtures against Argentina and England in March.

The Italian national team has been without a coach since Gian Piero Ventura was sacked after losing a play-off against Sweden last November that ruled Italy out of the 2018 World Cup for the first time in six decades, reports Xinhua news agency.

"Following a meeting attended by Extraordinary Commissioner Roberto Fabbricini and his vice Alessandro Costacurta, the decision was made to put Luigi Di Biagio in charge for the next two friendly matches of the Italy National Team," FIGC said in a statement.

The 46-year-old Di Biagio played for Italy as a midfielder at the 1998 and 2002 World Cups and coached Italy's Under-20 team from 2011 to 2013 before taking over the Under-21s.

Italy will play Argentina in Manchester on March 23, and then face England in London four days later.