Head coach of Chinese national football team Marcello Lippi attends the 134th session of International Olympic Committee (IOC) in Lausanne, Switzerland, June 24, 2019. (Xinhua/Cao Can)
LAUSANNE, Switzerland, June 24 (Xinhua) -- World Cup-winning coach Marcello Lippi, now the head coach of Chinese national team, said here on Monday that he expects Milan/Cortina d'Ampezzo will win the bid to host the 2026 Winter Olympic Games.
Lippi, who is in the Italian side's bidding team, told Xinhua that Milan has superb mountain facilities for winter sports and deserves to win the bid.
"We also have history and many champions," he said. "Our organization is also great."
Lippi was the Juventus manager in 1999 when Turin won the bid to host the 2006 Winter Olympics. He joined Milan side Inter later that year.
He guided Italy to the 2006 World Cup championship in Germany, just four months after Turin hosted the Games.
"I am here to help Milan to win," he said.
Lippi was reappointed as head coach of China's national football team in April and led China to a 1-0 win over Tajikistan in an international friendly match two weeks ago.
"We are a young side but the team is good," he said. "The victory is important for our rankings in the world. It puts us in a good position for our World Cup qualifiers."
China will play Italy in a round of 16 match in the women's World Cup on Tuesday. Lippi said, "Both teams are very good and I hope the team who plays best will win."
He will return to China in August to prepare for the World Cup qualifying campaign.
The IOC will elect the host city for the 2026 Winter Olympic Games later on Monday between either Stockholm/Are of Sweden or Italy's Milan/Cortina d'Ampezzo.
