Latest news with #ItalyFootball
Yahoo
11 hours ago
- Sport
- Yahoo
Gattuso brings first Italy change after Spalletti
Gennaro Gattuso stated in his first press conference as Italy's coach that the players called up should remain at Coverciano, even with minor injuries, adopting a different approach than his predecessor, Luciano Spalletti. Gattuso was unveiled at a press conference in Rome on Thursday, and even if he admitted he would not have time to make 'big changes', he already announced a switch from his predecessor Spalletti. Advertisement Gattuso said that his first request to Italy Delegation Chief Gigi Buffon and FIGC President Gabriele Gravina was to keep players at the Italy training centre in Coverciano, Florence, during international breaks, even if they have minor injuries. The new Italy boss insisted that the national team has an adequate staff to monitor and treat players dealing with minor injuries, so they should remain with the national team if called up. Gattuso's first Italy change SAN SEBASTIAN, SPAIN – NOVEMBER 06: Head coach Gennaro Gattuso of Valencia CF reacts during the LaLiga Santander match between Real Sociedad and Valencia CF at Reale Arena on November 06, 2022 in San Sebastian, Spain. (Photo by Juan Manuel) 'The first thing I asked the President and Buffon was: Anyone coming to Coverciano must stay, even if they have a minor issue,' said Gattuso. Advertisement 'We have everything in place to treat them. To be credible and avoid excuses. If a player is called up, he stays in Coverciano, just like when I played. If we can't get them healthy, then they return to their club. What matters most is spending time together. Players usually sustain minor injuries when playing 50 or 60 games a year, but we can't start setting dangerous precedents.' Spalletti different approach REGGIO NELL'EMILIA, ITALY – JUNE 9: Luciano Spalletti head coach of Italy gestures during the FIFA 2026 Qualifier between Italy and Moldova at Mapei Stadium – Citta' del Tricolore on June 09, 2025 in Reggio nell'Emilia, Italy. (Photo by) Spalletti employed an entirely different approach, sending back to the clubs those who arrived at Coverciano in poor shape. One of the latest examples was this past March when Atalanta striker Mateo Retegui was forced to pull out of the team due to a muscle problem. Advertisement 'We sent Retegui back home because he would not recover, but we hope he returns for the next Atalanta game,' Spalletti said. 'The exact problem is not well defined, but he has [muscle] fatigue, and, as we've always done, we decided to release him.' Gattuso said he had spoken to Spalletti: 'I have enormous respect for him,' the new Italy boss said. 'He's a true football mind and innovates every year.'
Yahoo
12 hours ago
- Sport
- Yahoo
Gattuso convinced Italy can reach World Cup
Gennaro Gattuso (C) has been tasked with guiding Italy to the 2026 World Cup (Alberto PIZZOLI) Gennaro Gattuso said Thursday he is convinced Italy can qualify for the World Cup as he begins his reign as Azzurri coach following the dismissal of Luciano Spalletti. Italy are at risk of missing out on a third consecutive World Cup after a troubled start to their qualifying campaign which has left them nine points behind Group I leaders Norway and cost Spalletti his job. Advertisement Asked whether he had more hope or conviction that Italy could reach next year's finals in the USA, Canada and Mexico, Gattuso said: "conviction". "I believe that we have good players available to us. We have four or five who are among the top 10 in the world in their position," added Gattuso. "We have a good team, but I do mean team, I'm not thinking about individuals. I'm convinced that the team has quality and I'm convinced that we can achieve our goal." Gattuso has a tough job on his hands with only top spot in the group giving automatic qualification to the World Cup, even with Italy having played two fewer games than Norway. Advertisement As well as the significant points gap Italy have a goal difference which is 12 goals worse than Norway, who hammered Italy 3-0 earlier in June. That leaves Italy with the play-offs, from which they failed to reach the last two tournaments, as their only realistic shot at qualification. "We need to bring back the enthusiasm and not think negatively. My goal is to make sure that the players that come to (Italy's training centre) Coverciano do so with great enthusiasm, and to create a family," said Gattuso. "After formations, technique and tactics the priority is to recreate that mentality that in the past has made us stand out." Advertisement Gattuso, a World Cup winner in 2006, was not the Italian Football Federation's first choice to replace Spalletti. Claudio Ranieri eventually turned down an appeal to come out of retirement, for a second time, to save his country's footballing fortunes. But Italy icon Gianluigi Buffon, now head of the national team delegation, said he believes Gattuso is capable of defying those who doubt his capabilities after an up-and-down coaching career. Gattuso, 47, was recently sacked by Hadjuk Split but has also managed AC Milan and Napoli, winning the Italian Cup with the latter club five years ago. Advertisement "I had a long playing career and every time I faced once of Rino's teams with Juventus they gave us a hard time, you had the idea that his teams had a precise identity, and that there was a lot of work and thought behind them," said Buffon. "It's very simple, when you're on the pitch you can tell straight away if behind the other team there is a good coach or not. And I every time I faced his Milan or Napoli team I could tell that was the case." Gattuso will be in the dugout for the first time in September when Italy host Estonia in Bergamo before travelling to Hungary to take on Israel. td/pi
Yahoo
12 hours ago
- Sport
- Yahoo
Gattuso convinced Italy can reach World Cup
Gennaro Gattuso (C) has been tasked with guiding Italy to the 2026 World Cup (Alberto PIZZOLI) Gennaro Gattuso said Thursday he is convinced Italy can qualify for the World Cup as he begins his reign as Azzurri coach following the dismissal of Luciano Spalletti. Italy are at risk of missing out on a third consecutive World Cup after a troubled start to their qualifying campaign which has left them nine points behind Group I leaders Norway and cost Spalletti his job. Advertisement Asked whether he had more hope or conviction that Italy could reach next year's finals in the USA, Canada and Mexico, Gattuso said: "conviction". "I believe that we have good players available to us. We have four or five who are among the top 10 in the world in their position," added Gattuso. "We have a good team, but I do mean team, I'm not thinking about individuals. I'm convinced that the team has quality and I'm convinced that we can achieve our goal." Gattuso has a tough job on his hands with only top spot in the group giving automatic qualification to the World Cup, even with Italy having played two fewer games than Norway. Advertisement As well as the significant points gap Italy have a goal difference which is 12 goals worse than Norway, who hammered Italy 3-0 earlier in June. That leaves Italy with the play-offs, from which they failed to reach the last two tournaments, as their only realistic shot at qualification. "We need to bring back the enthusiasm and not think negatively. My goal is to make sure that the players that come to (Italy's training centre) Coverciano do so with great enthusiasm, and to create a family," said Gattuso. "After formations, technique and tactics the priority is to recreate that mentality that in the past has made us stand out." Advertisement Gattuso, a World Cup winner in 2006, was not the Italian Football Federation's first choice to replace Spalletti. Claudio Ranieri eventually turned down an appeal to come out of retirement, for a second time, to save his country's footballing fortunes. But Italy icon Gianluigi Buffon, now head of the national team delegation, said he believes Gattuso is capable of defying those who doubt his capabilities after an up-and-down coaching career. Gattuso, 47, was recently sacked by Hadjuk Split but has also managed AC Milan and Napoli, winning the Italian Cup with the latter club five years ago. Advertisement "I had a long playing career and every time I faced once of Rino's teams with Juventus they gave us a hard time, you had the idea that his teams had a precise identity, and that there was a lot of work and thought behind them," said Buffon. "It's very simple, when you're on the pitch you can tell straight away if behind the other team there is a good coach or not. And I every time I faced his Milan or Napoli team I could tell that was the case." Gattuso will be in the dugout for the first time in September when Italy host Estonia in Bergamo before travelling to Hungary to take on Israel. td/pi
Malay Mail
10-06-2025
- Sport
- Malay Mail
Italy see off Moldova 2–0 as Spalletti bows out of tumultuous tenure
REGGIO EMILIA (Italy), June 10 — Italy got off the mark in their 2026 World Cup qualifying campaign with Monday's 2-0 win over Moldova, Luciano Spalletti's last game as Italy coach. Giacomo Raspadori and Andrea Cambiaso scored in each half for the Azzurri who sit third in Group I, trailing leaders Norway by nine points, and are at risk of missing a third straight World Cup. Only top spot in the group gives direct qualification for next year's finals in the USA, Canada and Mexico and even having played two games fewer than Norway, Italy's best chance looks to the be finishing second and reaching the play-offs. However Italy were denied a place at the last two World Cups after being beaten in the play-offs and are in the midst of an identity crisis following their disastrous title defeat at last year's European Championship. Spalletti, who presided over a dismal last-16 exit at the Euros, coached Italy on Monday having already been told that he was to be sacked after the 3-0 thumping dished out by Norway in their opening qualifier on Friday. 'When you're the national team coach you have no excuses, it's you who selects the squad,' said Spallett to public broadcaster Rai. 'It's the coach who has to make the difference and unfortunately I wasn't able to do that.' Spallettti goes out after another uninspiring match played in a flat atmosphere in Reggio Emilia, where Italy got the three points needed but did little to inspire confidence in the future whoever replaces Spalletti. Claudio Ranieri is widely reported as being the Italian Football Federation's preferred candidate to replace Spalletti and guide Italy towards the World Cup, even though he retired from coaching after performing a near miracle with Roma this past season. Ranieri is 73 years old and working as a consultant for the American owners of his boyhood team Roma who he dragged from near Serie A's relegation zone to fifth place. But that hasn't stopped a media campaign practically begging the man nicknamed 'Sir' to come out of retirement for the second time to take control of a national team at possibly its lowest ebb. — AFP
Reuters
07-06-2025
- Sport
- Reuters
Donnarumma says Italy's form unacceptable after drubbing by Norway
June 7 (Reuters) - Italy goalkeeper Gianluigi Donnarumma offered no excuses for his side's poor showing in their 3-0 defeat at Norway in the World Cup qualifiers on Friday, saying their form was not acceptable and the fans deserve better. Playing the first match of their qualifying campaign, Italy were stunned after a ruthless first-half performance by Norway, who put three past the visitors thanks to Alexander Sorloth, Antonio Nusa and Erling Haaland. Italy sit fourth in Group I, while Norway lead the group with nine points from three matches. Estonia, Moldova and Israel are also in Group I. "I have no explanation at the moment. You just have to go inside and realise the performance tonight. Our fans don't deserve this," Donnarumma told Italian TV channel Rai Sport. "We all have to come out of these games together, we need to examine our conscience." The four-times World Cup winners have not qualified for the global showpiece event since 2014. Italy manager Luciano Spalletti said his team were going through a difficult patch and that he would speak with the Italian Football Federation about the situation. "From us, it has to come from us first of all. We are Italy and these matches are not acceptable... We must be more united than before," said Donnarumma, who won the Champions League, Ligue 1, French Cup and French Super Cup titles with Paris St Germain in the recently concluded season. Italy next host fifth-placed Moldova on Monday.
