Itay coach Gennaro Gattuso acknowledged that only “someone without blood running through their veins” wouldn\u2019t feel nervous as the team attempts to avoid failing to qualify for a third consecutive World Cup.<\/p>\n
Gattuso is still just as feisty and gritty as when he played on the Italy team that won the country\u2019s fourth World Cup in 2006.<\/p>\n
Ahead of Thursday\u2019s playoff match against Northern Ireland, he also suggested he sent home talented winger Federico Chiesa in what could amount to a definitive break with the standout player of the European Championship trophy run five years ago.<\/p>\n
“It\u2019s undeniable that there\u2019s nervousness,” Gattuso said Monday. “Only someone without blood running through their veins wouldn\u2019t feel it. But we need to do a good job of transmitting a lot of positivity.”<\/p>\n
Positivity, however, is not what describes Italy\u2019s performances in the playoffs for the previous two World Cups, when the Azzurri were eliminated by Sweden and North Macedonia, respectively.<\/p>\n
Italy is in jeopardy at the same stage for the upcoming World Cup in North America after two losses to Norway in qualifying. The Azzurri need to beat Northern Ireland at home in Bergamo and then Wales or Bosnia and Herzegovina away next week to avoid going at least 16 years without even playing a match at soccer\u2019s biggest event.<\/p>\n
“There are no alibis,” Gattuso said. “It\u2019s useless to think if we could have done better. The only thing we should be thinking about is Thursday\u2019s game. Forget that we\u2019ve won four World Cups, two Euros and an Olympic title. For us, the only game is Thursday\u2019s.<\/p>\n
“All of the players that are here today know what we\u2019re playing for and how important it is.”<\/p>\n
Chiesa was sent back to Liverpool upon briefly rejoining the national team for the first time after an almost two-year absence.<\/p>\n
“He had some minor (phyisical) issues and we decided that it was useless for him to stay,” Gattuso said.<\/p>\n
But then why are other injured players like Sandro Tonali, Gianluca Scamacca and Alessandro Bastoni staying with the team? Especially after Gattuso announced when he took over from the fired Luciano Spalletti in June that injured players would remain with the squad to improve team spirit.<\/p>\n
“Because not every player has the same frame of mind,” Gattuso said. “When I hear that someone is wavering that\u2019s when I know I need to make a choice. We decided it together. He felt he wasn\u2019t up to it and he went home. I need to accept it.”<\/p>\n
Bologna winger Nicolo Cambiaghi has replaced Chiesa.<\/p>\n
Chiesa has played only sparingly since joining Liverpool from Juventus two years ago and started only one Premier League match this season.<\/p>\n
Northern Ireland also lost a key player Monday when center back Daniel Ballard was ruled out with an injured hamstring. The Sunderland defender is among the few with Premier League experience on Northern Ireland’s team.<\/p>\n
Conor Bradley, Northern Ireland’s captain and a Liverpool right back, was already out injured.<\/p>\n
Since Gattuso was not able to convince soccer authorities to set up a training camp in the four months since Italy last played, he and delegation chief Gianluigi Buffon embarked on a tour up and down Italy \u2014 plus trips to London, Saudi Arabia and Qatar \u2014 to share dinners with the squad players in order to maintain team spirit.<\/p>\n
“There was no white board or markers,” Gattuso said. “We didn\u2019t go to talk about football or tactics. \u2026 We were there to create team unity.”<\/p>\n
Gattuso said he chose to play in Bergamo\u2019s 23,500-seat stadium to create a more positive atmosphere. When Italy lost to Norway at the San Siro in November, he noticed that AC Milan and Inter Milan fans would whistle at players from opposing clubs.<\/p>\n
“At the first errant pass you start hearing the whistles,” Gattuso said. “Whereas when we played in Bergamo we got cheered at halftime when it was 0-0.”<\/p>\n
Italy led Norway 1-0 at halftime in November before Norway scored four second-half goals \u2014 including a brace by Erling Haaland.<\/p>\n
“I really worked a lot over these months at dealing with adversity. One event shouldn\u2019t change the dynamics of a match,” Gattuso said. “It depends on how you react and deal with it.”<\/p>\n
The playoff comes following a string of successes in other sports by Italians \u2014 from the Winter Olympics to Formula 1 to tennis, volleyball and even baseball.<\/p>\n
“These things go in cycles,” Gattuso said. “When I see us winning in other sports it gets me motivated. It makes me feel pride. \u2026 Right now our history tells us that we\u2019re struggling. But we\u2019ve got a big chance here to reach our goal.”<\/p>\n
If Italy does qualify for the World Cup, it will be in Group B with Canada, Qatar and Switzerland.<\/p>\n
Reporting by The Associateed Press<\/i><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
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