There are no winners in Italy, Napoli, in the battle for the coaching seat of Spalletti.

It seems that this is not just about the rivalry between the club and the national team, but also about pride, individuality, and the people who don't give up. One can only hope that this won't lead to legal disputes and lawyers, because for a proud football nation that is already ashamed of missing the last two World Cups (and failing in the group stage of the two before that), it would be simply humiliating.

The situation is simple but absurd right now. In 24 days, the European champions - Italy - will play qualifying matches for Euro 2024. However, after the sudden resignation of Roberto Mancini on Sunday, there is no head coach for the national team to lead the squad and select players. The Italian Football Association wants to appoint Luciano Spalletti, who led Napoli to the Serie A championship and the Champions League quarter-finals last year. He is currently on "leave" and would gladly accept the offer... if he (or, more likely, the Italian Football Association) didn't have to pay Napoli 3.2 million euros ($3.5 million).

Spalletti doesn't want to pay, and the Italian Football Association doesn't want to pay either. Napoli's president Aurelio De Laurentiis is not going to give in, no matter how much people try to appeal to his patriotism or love for the national team, one of the few institutions that unite the country, along with pasta and the Catholic Church.

How did we get here? Everything seemed fine four months ago when Spalletti was showcasing his coaching skills, and Napoli was confidently winning its first Serie A championship since the days of Diego Maradona. His contract was set to expire at the end of the season, but the club had the option to extend it for another year, and it seemed like he would sign a new agreement with a well-deserved salary increase.

But instead of a cheerful conversation about the new contract, Spalletti received a short letter from the club. It simply stated that they had exercised the option to extend his contract, which is now valid until 2024. No raise, no new contract. Most likely, this was a negotiation tactic, as Napoli understood perfectly that exercising the option without a salary increase after such a season was not only insensitive but also counterproductive: no team in any sport wants an unhappy coach, as that is a recipe for self-destruction. But Spalletti was truly upset. He said he was "tired" and would not return to coach the club.

A stubborn man, no one will change Spalletti's mind, which is why "Napoli" has come to an agreement with him. They will not force him to return, but in return, he must take a year off from coaching. If he does not comply with this condition and signs a contract with another club without their permission, he will have to pay them €3.2 million as compensation. So, Spalletti has returned to his 125-acre property inTuscany, where he produces olive oil and is surrounded by various farm animals, from chickens to pigs and donkeys.

This is not just his imagination; he really is like that: in fact, you can rent one of his cottages on the farm and see everything for yourself.

But then Mancini, while on vacation on the Greek island of Mykonos, announced his resignation.

The Italian Football Association immediately reached out to Spalletti, he gave the green light, and plans were made for his official announcement by the end of the week. But then De Laurentiis stepped in. He said it was a "matter of principle," not a "matter of millions" - Spalletti signed documents stating that he was taking a leave of absence, and if he returned to work for someone else, he would have to pay. He added that if they could find €3 million after taxes (almost €6 million before taxes) to pay Spalletti over three years, the Federation could afford to pay Napoli a million a year for three years to secure his services.

The Italian Football Association did not expect this. They claim that the whole idea was to prevent Spalletti from leaving Napoli for their rivals in Serie A. The national team of Italy is obviously not a rival of Napoli, and therefore they are trying to influence public opinion to make De Laurentiis back down.

And so the dilemma of "club versus national team" is entering public discussion in Italy. Fans of Napoli find themselves in a bind: should they support their club (and the president who brought them the title) or the national team?

It's sad that none of them look good here. Neither the Italian Football Association nor some media portray De Laurentiis as an unpatriotic Grinch who is freezing Spalletti and possibly depriving Italy of a chance to defend its European title. Spalletti is not the only Italian coach on the market; if they could have satisfied Mancini, he wouldn't have left, and honestly, Spalletti has a contract, so it might be worth considering that before offering him a job.

The same can be said about De Laurentiis, who helped create this mess with a foolish letter and whose statement is both rude ("€3 million is not much for Napoli and even less for me") and unnecessarily didactic with his musings on "business rules" and "amateur setups." Yes, there is the literal adherence to the law, and there is the spirit of the law, but there is something childish about an adult man clinging to the former. (The agreement was made to prevent Spalletti from moving to a rival, which the Italian national team certainly is not).

And to some extent, this also applies to Spalletti. If you leave Napoli after everything you achieved together because you're tired and need a break, it's hard to believe that less than three months later you're suddenly ready to coach again. Why not just say you left because you didn't like how De Laurentiis treated you? And if you're so happy to lead Italy, why not agree to a pay cut so the Italian Football Association can pay the fine stipulated in the agreement you signed less than three months ago? After all, you've made enough money, and besides, aren't you that country gentleman who is content with the simple joys of life, like taking care of the vineyard and driving a tractor around the farm?

We hope that they can reach common sense and come to an agreement, and that the matter won't go to court. The last thing the Italian national team (or "Napoli," by the way) needs is a long and complicated battle over contracts and penalties. But with stubborn grown men acting like little children, who knows?