Commerzbank will hold a first round of talks with UniCredit on Friday as the Italian lender presses for a possible tie-up. Commerzbank has, like some other banks, had a rocky history with big mergers and acquisitions over the years.

The government said it won’t offload any additional shares in the bank following the sale to UniCredit for €702 million. The move marks an U-turn for the government.

UniCredit SpA spoke with German officials about building a stake in Commerzbank AG before Berlin began selling its shares in the firm earlier this month, adding to the confusion around Germany’s position that it was unaware the move would be coming.