Sanremo, the bizarre inaccuracies of Conti and Luchè’s manager

The curtain on Sanremo Festival 2026 has descended, with the usual liturgy of hot comments. But, as often happens when the lights go outAristonthe true “after festival“begins off stage. And this year too, as per tradition, we don’t just talk about songs, but about numbers, percentages and alleged wrongs. There are some that are causing discussion statements released in the hours following the finalwhich should be clarified.

Carlo Conti: «Sal Da Vinci won thanks to the press». But is it really like that?

Carlo Conti spoke on Monday to the microphones of Radio Tuscany and among other things he commented on the victory of Sal Da Vinci with “Forever yes”: «Curiously, since people often complain about the votes, that the televoting that’s what makes you win… in this case they were there press room jury and of radiobecause televoting had paid off Sayf», he said (you can listen to the interview again at this link: the passage in question is at minute 5.30). Actually the victory of Sal Da Vinci was not determined by press room and from radio jurybut right from televotingas revealed by voting results of all the evenings of Festivalpublished by praxis dalla Rai in the aftermath of the final. Despite Sayf in the five-way final got some televoting more than the Neapolitan singer-songwriter (26.4% versus 23.5%), the latter was able to count on the “little treasure” composed of the outcome of the votes of previous eveningswhich in total sum of all votes however, it allowed him to get the better of the voice of “I like you a lotSpecifically, to determine the victory of Sal Da Vinci a lot of people thought about it televoting obtained in Thursday evening and in the first part of Saturday’s finalthe one in which all of them (re)performed 30 big. On Thursday evening Sal Da Vinci obtained the televoting 20.8% of preferences, while Sayf he stopped at 13.4% of preferences. A difference of over seven percentage points. Sal Da Vinci he beat Sayf televoting also in the first part of Saturday’s final: he won the 13.1% of votes, against the 10.9% Of Sayf. It must also be said that despite the prime timein which she was the only member of the jury, the press room preferred Sal Da Vinci to Sayf (first place sixth Tuesday evening, the second tenth), in the first part of Saturday’s final Sayf he got the better of it in the end Da Vinci for the press vote (the rapper of “I like you a lot” he ranked on Saturday quarter for the press in the first part of the final, while the Neapolitan singer-songwriter was sixth). The same goes for the radio jury: Thursday evening Sal Da Vinci And Sayf in the radio rankings they placed respectively at third And fourth placebut in the 30-man final on Saturday Sayf he conquered the third place And Sal Da Vinci he slipped to the sixth. And if in the final five le radio they preferred Sal Da Vinci (second) a Sayf (third), the press room instead he reserved more votes for Sayf (third) that to the singer-songwriter of “Forever yes” (fourth). Translated: it was precisely the votes obtained by the that made the difference public from Sal Da Vinci between Thursday and the first part of the final on Saturday. The statements of Accounts they’re a little surprising. In fact, one is expected from him in-depth knowledge of the regulation: it’s the artistic directorthe figure who more than any other embodies theevent facility. It is reasonable to assume that he knows the details of the voting mechanismwhich he himself contributed to writing or at least endorsing, rather than indulging in declarations that risk fueling useless controversy.

Luchè’s manager against the press (but he arrived at the televoting…)

Equally surprising are the statements made on social media by Cristiano Magalettimanager of Luchè. Taking stock of his artist al Festival, Magaletti he wrote in a post on Instagram: «You stayed in Sanremo Luchèwithout showgirls or choreographies. Only one press conference where we feared the prejudice and, given the ranking, here is the confirmation: the usual Press Room which puts us last. Thirtieths out of 30behind Gassman And Brock. Take the average with televoting and in an instant you are almost first.” The thirtieth place to which he alludes Magaletti is the one conquered by Luchè in the prime timewhen only the press room. Thursday Luchè he ranked eleventh out of fifteen big names competing that evening, while al televoting has arrived fourth with the11.03% of preferences (against 20.8% Of Sal Da VinciThe 16.7% Of ArisaThe 13.4% Of Sayf). In the final at 30 on Saturday Luchè he ranked twenty-fifth for radio, twenty-ninth for the press room And twelfth in televoting. In televoting, specifically, Luchè got the 3.7% of votes: in front of him Sal Da Vinciwhich instead obtained the 13.1% of preferences, but also Arisa, Sayf, Toe in the sore, Fedez, Masini, Nayt, Ermal Meta, Lda & Aka7even, Thunderbolts, Thomas Paradise, Serena Brancale. Too few to get back on top. The twelfth place conquered by Luchè televoting in the 30-man final on Saturday coincides with the twelfth place in the general classification.

A solution to prevent future controversies

It is evident that the voting mechanism provided for by the regulation you almost seem built to generate controversies. There stratification of juriesi percentage weights which change from evening to evening, the partial rankings which add up and mix together make the final result less immediate to understand. It’s a complex systemnot very intuitive for the large public and perfect to fuel the idea of reversals or injustices. And so a provocation, but up to a certain point: why not imagine, from 2027a system based exclusively on public vote from home? It would be the best choice linear and, paradoxically, the most transparent. Only one voting bodyonly one classification built progressively night after night. Nothing variable weightsNothing weighted averages difficult to explain, no suspicions of “compensations” between juries. Whoever gets the most votes wins. Point. Such a solution would have at least a couple of clear advantages. First: it would give back absolute centrality to the publicwhich is the truth event driver. Second: it would make the immediately understandable resultdrastically reducing the space for distorted interpretations or posthumous controversies. Of course, the filter would be lost.”qualitative” from the technical juries (but then again, let it be the Ariston press room that that Lucio Dalla they have theirs Critics’ awards – this year they went respectively to Thunderbolts ea Serena Brancale). But maybe this is exactly it ambiguity – Between popular race And competition judged by experts – to generate short circuits every year. If the Sanremo Festival he wants to be there all the way Italian song festivalthen leave the last word to publicwithout correctives and without cross-weights, would be the best choice consistent. And perhaps even more honesty.