Guglielmo Vicario does not deny the obvious pressure on the Italy national team ahead of tonight’s World Cup play-off final against Bosnia and Herzegovina, but says that his colleagues seem ‘more ready’ after their 2-0 victory against Northern Ireland in Bergamo. 

Bosnia will host Italy at the Bilino Polje Stadium in the city of Zenica for tonight’s play-off final, which kicks off at 19.45 BST (20.45 CET). 

The winner will be decided after 90 minutes, or through extra time and even a penalty shoot-out if needed. Whoever goes through will be placed in World Cup group B with Canada, Switzerland and Qatar.

You can follow all the build-up and action as it happens on the Football Italia Liveblog.

Vicario previews Bosnia and Herzegovina vs. Italy: ‘There is pressure’

The Azzurri beat Northern Ireland 2-0 in the semi-final with goals from Sandro Tonali and Moise Kean, so despite suggestions Francesco Pio Esposito or Marco Palestra could step in, the coach sticks with the same starting XI that played in Bergamo on Thursday.

Bosnia and Herzegovina, meanwhile, got the better of Wales in the semi-final after a 1-1 draw and penalty shoot-out, with ex-Roma, Inter and Fiorentina striker Edin Dzeko netting the equaliser.

The pressure is all on Italy though, having missed out on the World Cup in both 2018 and 2022 by losing the play-offs.

“The pressure is still there,” Vicario, who is not officially part of the squad, but has travelled with the team regardless, told Vivo Azzurro TV ahead of kick-off. 

“But maybe subconsciously we’ve come in a little more ready and I hope a little more relaxed after the first half in Bergamo. I think we can’t afford to lose our concentration today, it’s too important.

“I’ve seen the boys looking well, fired up, we all know about the importance of this game.”

Vicario also praised the spirit and togetherness that CT Gennaro Gattuso has brought to the Nazionale following his appointment last summer. 

“Our work with the coach has been going on for months. He’s brought back the enthusiasm and a spirit of belonging. In the end, it’s what happens on the pitch that counts, not the proclamations.” 

And what does Vicario expect from Bosnia and Herzegovina this evening?

“The atmosphere will lead to them being aggressive initially, out of possession as well. “There’ll be phases of patience and counter attacking. Demirovic makes these great runs when they’re pressing. It’s a team that has quality, international level players, a lot of legs and running. The duels will be decisive.

Vicario also dismissed any potential concerns about the playing surface in Zenica. 

“It doesn’t seem to be in bad condition to me, the ball moves without major problems. I think our best qualities will come out.”

The appointment of Italian head coach Roberto De Zerbi as the new head coach of Premier League side Tottenham Hotspur has been met with criticism from various supporters’ groups, who feel that the former Marseille and Brighton tactician will ‘create a divide among supporters at a time when we all need to be pulling together to back the team’. 

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De Zerbi was officially announced as the new head coach of Tottenham on Tuesday afternoon, succeeding former Juventus head coach Igor Tudor, who lasted just five matches of his short-term contract. 

De Zerbi has put pen to paper on a five-year deal that will run until the summer of 2031, and will have seven matches of the 2025-26 Premier League season to steer Spurs clear of relegation. The North Londoners are currently in 17th, one point and one position above West Ham in the drop zone. 

Tottenham supporters’ groups denounce De Zerbi appointment 

The decision to appoint De Zerbi has drawn criticism from some supporters for various reasons. 

Some have questioned the decision to hand a five-year contract to a head coach who has never previously lasted more than two full seasons in a managerial position. Others have criticised his previous comments defending Marseille forward Mason Greenwood, who was charged with attempted rape, assault occasioning actual bodily harm and controlling and coercive behaviour in 2022. Those charges were then dropped in 2023. 

The Tottenham Hotspur Supporters’ Trust have released a statement highlighting the decision to appoint De Zerbi despite the club’s previous commitment to ‘challenging instances of violence against women and girls’, and have also questioned the decision to appoint a ‘divisive’ head coach at a time when the team needs unity from its supporters.

“We note the Club’s announcement of the appointment of Roberto De Zerbi to the Manager role,” a statement from the Tottenham Hotspur Supporters’ Trust read. 

“While we recognise the limited pool of managers with recent Premier League experience, and the need to act with urgency as Spurs face the prospect of relegation, this appointment raises serious and far-reaching concerns, and many fans have been in touch with us to urge us to communicate the strength of feeling.  We raised these concerns directly with the Club prior to its announcement.

“The Club has previously committed to challenging instances of violence against women and girls and acting with integrity and upholding its values when faced with any incidents.

“De Zerbi’s comments about Mason Greenwood were unnecessary, ill-judged, and deeply offensive to a significant number of supporters and, without doubt, will have left victims of male violence alarmed. We believe these statements, left unchecked, will create a divide among supporters at a time when we all need to be pulling together to back the team. It is concerning that the Club would put us in this position right when the team needs fans the most. Fans are rallying behind the “All Together, Always” initiative, and this appointment places heavy strain on that unity. If those remarks reflect his genuine views, they cast a troubling shadow over the values of the Club we love.

“The Club must reassert its commitment to the values that fans hold dear—chief among them equality, respect, and integrity. Any perceived sympathy toward alleged perpetrators of physical or sexual violence against women fundamentally undermines trust in the custodianship of this Club.

“With this appointment, communications from the Club and from Mr De Zerbi must clearly and unequivocally reaffirm these values. Furthermore, those words must be backed by meaningful action, including visible and sustained support for women’s charities and organisations working to combat violence against women. 

“Our preference would have been for a short-term appointment of an individual or individuals who understand the Club and can lead the players in the seven battles to come. There would then have been an opportunity in the summer to attract a wide range of potential applicants with a track record of success in inspiring fans and players: candidates who could lead and develop sustained success for the team, for seasons to come. The Club has chosen otherwise. We will continue to support efforts to get behind the team and play our part in preserving the Club’s Premier League status but it is understandable that many fans will do so with a heavy heart.

“Our Five Principles for Spurs ownership include Leading with Integrity and Championing Ethical Standards. At present, supporters rate performance in this area at just 2.2 out of 10. This decision risks further eroding confidence unless addressed with clarity, humility, and decisive action.

“We fully understand that the immediate priority is to avoid relegation. However, this situation is the result of prolonged strategic failings. THST have warned for years that the Club was heading in this direction, and the lack of timely, sound decision-making has now left options severely compromised.

“It will take significant effort for many fans to restore their faith in the Club’s leadership. That process must begin with transparency, accountability and a renewed commitment to the principles that define Tottenham Hotspur.”

Women of the Lane, Tottenham’s official supporters’ group for women and non-binary supporters, have also been publicly critical of the decision to appoint De Zerbi.

Prior to his appointment, Women of the Lane released a statement that read: “De Zerbi has publicly defended Mason Greenwood in a way that downplays the seriousness of male violence against women and girls. That raises serious questions about judgement and leadership.

“Clubs signal their values through the decisions they make. Who they appoint matters. The manager sets the tone, every day, for what is expected, what is tolerated, and how people are treated. At a time when Spurs needs to rebuild, that culture matters as much as anything on the pitch.

“For many in our community, this is difficult to reconcile with the club’s stated commitments to respect, safety and inclusion. This is not an appointment Tottenham Hotspur should make. It introduced unnecessary cultural risk without a clear, proven track record to justify it.

“No to De Zerbi.”

Some questions were asked when Brentford right-back Michael Kayode was not included in the Italy national team squad for the crucial World Cup play-off campaign, but the Premier League ace was named as a starter for the U21s’ European Championship qualifier against Sweden on Tuesday after receiving a late call-up to Silvio Baldini’s side. Here’s why there has been some confusion over the Fiorentina full-back’s eligibility. 

Why is Kayode playing with Italy’s U21s and not with the senior side?

Kayode is having a stellar season on a personal and collective level in the Premier League with Brentford this term, sitting in seventh place and pushing for a spot in Europe despite being tipped for relegation by many at the beginning of the 2025-26 campaign. 

Despite his individual form, Kayode was not included in Gennaro Gattuso’s 28-man Italy squad for the World Cup play-offs that have been taking place this week and was not originally named in the U21s squad either. 

Kayode was later called up to Baldini’s U21 side and went on to appear as a half-time substitute for Thursday night’s 4-0 victory over North Macedonia in qualification for the U21 European Championship. He was also named as a starter for Tuesday’s qualifier against Sweden’s U21s.

Italy U21s head coach Baldini has recently confirmed that the reason for the delay in Kayode’s call-up was due to the fact that he needed to report for additional medical check-ups in Rome and hinted that those tests might have been on his heart. 

Baldini spoke about ‘regulations’ that are ‘stricter’ in Italy compared to England, which is the case for issues relating to the heart, and is the reason why Edoardo Bove is allowed to play for Watford in the EFL Championship, but not in Serie A or Serie B.

“He was called up in September, but he didn’t have eligibility because there are much stricter regulations in Italy compared to England,” Baldini explained in a recent press conference. 

“He couldn’t play with us, otherwise, he always would have been there. And now he arrived late because he went to Rome to undergo some examinations on Monday, and yesterday he obtained eligibility. 

“I don’t understand why we shouldn’t have called him up, given that he has also been a European U19 champion in the past.” 

Kayode has since received the all-clear after his additional medical checks in Rome, but given that his eligibility was not 100% guaranteed, this might explain why Gattuso decided against giving him his first ever call-up to the senior side, particularly ahead of such a crucial run of fixtures. 

Gennaro Gattuso and his Italy players will be hoping to avoid any close calls in this evening’s World Cup play-off final away against Bosnia and Herzegovina, as goal-line technology will not be in use at the Bilino Polje Stadium in Zenica. Here’s why. 

Why is there no goal-line technology for Bosnia vs. Italy?

The Azzurri are one game away from sealing a spot at the World Cup for the first time since 2014, but must overcome Bosnia and Herzegovina teammates in tonight’s play-off final in Zenica, kicking off at 19.45 BST.

The Bilino Polje Stadium in the city of Zenica is operating at a reduced capacity of due to crowd troubles during Bosnia’s World Cup qualifier against Romania back in November. Italy have received an allocation of 500 tickets. 

There will also be no goal-line technology in use for tonight’s play-off final between Bosnia and Italy. Goal-line technology is not mandatory, and its use depends on the decisions of the organising federation. 

Goal-line technology is not typically used at the Bilino Polje Stadium, and that will also be the case when Italy take on Bosnia this evening. 

Tottenham Hotspur have officially announced the appointment of Italian head coach Roberto as head coach of the men’s first team ‘on a long-term contract, subject to work permit’. 

De Zerbi is called in to replace former Juventus head coach Igor Tudor in North London and will be tasked with steering Tottenham clear of relegation from the Premier League with seven games of the 2025-26 season left to go. 

Tottenham currently find themselves in 17th place in the Premier League table, just one point and one position away from the drop zone. 

De Zerbi’s first match in charge of his new club will come away against Sunderland at 14.00 BST on April 12. 

Reports indicate that De Zerbi has put pen to paper on a five-year contract that will run until the summer of 2031. This has led to questioning from some Tottenham supporters given that the Italian has never stayed in the same managerial position for more than two full seasons. 

This will be De Zerbi’s second job in the Premier League following his tenure with Brighton between September 2022 and June 2024, during which time he led the Seagulls to a seventh-place finish in the Premier League, which is the club’s highest-ever finish and also brought their first ever qualification for the Europa League.

Reports in Italy indicate that Italy’s 2006 World Cup winner Alessandro Nesta will be part of De Zerbi’s coaching staff at Tottenham, although this has not yet been officially confirmed by the club.

What De Zerbi said about Tottenham appointment

“I am delighted to be joining this fantastic football club, which is one of the biggest and most prestigious in the world,” De Zerbi said in a statement on the club website.

“In all my discussions with the Club’s leadership, their ambition for the future has been clear – to build a team capable of reaching great achievements, and to do that playing a style of football that excites and inspires our supporters. I am here because I believe in that ambition and have signed a long-term contract to give everything to deliver it.

“Our short-term priority is to climb the Premier League table, which will be the complete focus until the final whistle of the last game of the season. I’m looking forward to getting out on the training pitch and working with these players to achieve that.”

Sporting director Johan Lange added: “Roberto was our number one target for the summer and we are very pleased to be able to bring him in now.

“He is one of the most creative and forward-thinking coaches in world football, and brings with him a wealth of experience at the highest level, including in the Premier League.”

We are pleased to announce the appointment of Roberto De Zerbi as our new Men’s Head Coach on a long-term contract, subject to work permit.

https://t.co/DtXe0YJSlr pic.twitter.com/64tybrOhmr

— Tottenham Hotspur (@SpursOfficial) March 31, 2026

Brazil national team head coach Carlo Ancelotti has sent his best wishes to the Italy side ahead of their World Cup play-off final against Bosnia and Herzegovina on Tuesday evening and has given even more praise to his former Real Madrid midfielder, Luka Modric, now at Milan: ‘There’s nobody like him on the world market’. 

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Ancelotti: ‘I hope Italy qualify, but I won’t be able to watch’

Italy will be in World Cup play-off final action away against Bosnia and Herzegovina at 19.45 BST on Tuesday evening, while Brazil, who have already qualified for the 2026 tournament, will take on Croatia in a friendly in Florida, USA, later on in the same night, kicking off at 1.00 BST in the early hours of Wednesday morning. 

Speaking at his pre-match press conference on Monday, Ancelotti told reporters: “I hope Italy qualify for the World Cup, but I won’t be able to watch the national team tomorrow. We have to prepare for our match against Croatia.” (via ANSA).

Among the opposition for Ancelotti’s Brazil in their upcoming friendly will be former Ballon d’Or winner Luka Modric, who has excelled in Serie A at the age of 40 this season. 

“Modric can play in every position in the midfield, because he is a complete and modern player, one of the best players I have ever coached and a spectacular professional with an extraordinary passion for football,” Ancelotti said ahead of his reunion with the Rossoneri veteran. 

He concluded: “There is nobody like Modric on the world market.” 

The highly sought-after Nicolo Tresoldi still has three senior national team options available to him, but reports in Germany claim that Argentina are making attempts to pin down the talented 21-year-old, who was born in and is eligible to represent Italy. 

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Could Italy and Germany miss out on Tresoldi?

Tresoldi, who has 13 goals from 30 appearances to his name in the Belgian Pro League with Club Brugge this season, is eligible to represent Italy, Germany and Argentina at senior international level. 

The 21-year-old centre-forward was born in Italy to an Italian father, Emmanuele, who played for Atalanta, and an Argentine mother, but moved to Hanover with his family at the age of 11 and has since gone on to represent Germany at U19 and U21 level. He has 12 goals from 23 Germany U21 caps. 

According to BILD, who describe Tresoldi as Germany’s ‘greatest striking talent’, Argentina are in contact with the player’s entourage and are hoping to secure his services for their senior national team. 

There have, however, also been calls in Germany for Julian Nagelsmann to give the youngster an opportunity in their senior national side, calls that resurfaced after the 21-year-old netted a brace in a 3-1 victory over Northern Ireland’s U21s on Friday. 

Speaking in an interview in October, Tresoldi confirmed that he had not received any calls from the Italy set-up: “I’m not surprised Italy didn’t call me. Italy already has many great strikers, so there is a lot of competition for places there,” Tresoldi said in an interview with Il Messaggero. 

“Seeing as my mother is from Argentina, I even have the possibility of playing for them, but I have not made a decision yet.”

Italy boast, by far, the more valuable set of players compared to Bosnia and Herzegovina ahead of Tuesday night’s World Cup play-off final, and studies show that Gennaro Gattuso’s squad is worth 6.5x as much as the players available to Sergej Barbarez. 

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Italy will travel to Zenica this evening ahead of Tuesday’s World Cup play-off decider against Bosnia and Herzegovina. 

The Azzurri are ranked 12th in the world and are the highest-rated nation not to have a spot at the World Cup wrapped up. They beat Northern Ireland 2-0 in Bergamo thanks to goals from Sandro Tonali and Moise Kean in order to qualify for Tuesday’s play-off final, while Bosnia took Wales to penalties and came through victorious after the shoot-out in Cardiff on Thursday evening. 

As was the case against Northern Ireland, Italy have the most valuable squad of the two sides competing in this play-off tie. The 28-man Azzurri squad is worth a combined €833.5m according to the latest information from transfermarkt.com, while Bosnia’s roster of 24 players comes out to €127.1m. 

The average market value of the Italy players in Gattuso’s squad is just shy of €30m, €29.77m to be precise, while Bosnia’s average equals €5.3m. 

Tonali is currently the most valuable player in the Italy camp, valued at €80m, followed by Alessandro Bastoni at €70m and then Riccardo Calafiori, Nicolo Barella and Federico Dimarco all at €50m. 

According to transfermarkt, VfB Stuttgart centre-forward Ermedin Demirovic is the most valuable player in the Bosnia side with a market  value of €22m, closely followed by Sassuolo’s Tariq Muharemovic at €20m, and then teenage talent Kerim Alajbegovic and Benfica full-back Amar Dedic, both at €15m. 

Top 10 most valuable Italy squad members

1. Sandro Tonali (Newcastle United) – €80m

2. Alessandro Bastoni (Inter) – €70m

3. Riccardo Calafiori (Arsenal) – €50m

3. Nicolo Barella (Inter) – €50m

3. Federico Dimarco (Inter) – €50m

6. Francesco Pio Esposito (Inter) – €45m

6. Gianluigi Donnarumma (Manchester City) – €45m

8. Moise Kean (Fiorentina) – €40m

9. Mateo Retegui (Al-Qadsiah) – €35m

9. Alessandro Buongiorno (Napoli) – €35m

Top 10 most valuable Bosnia squad members

1. Ermedin Demirovic (VfB Stuttgart) – €22m

2. Tariq Muharemovic (Sassuolo) – €20m

3. Kerim Alajbegovic (RB Salzburg) – €15m

3. Amar Dedic (Benfica) – €15m

5. Sead Kolasinac (Atalanta) – €6m

6. Esmir Bajraktarevic (PSV Eindhoven) – €5m

7. Nikola Vasilj (St. Pauli) – €4.5m

7. Benjamin Tahirovic (Brondby) – €4.5m

7. Amar Memic (Viktoria Plzen) – €4.5m

10. Amir Hadziahmetovic (Hull City) – €4.2m

Bosnia and Herzegovina national team captain Edin Dzeko has urged his nation’s supporters to ‘applaud’ Italy and the national anthem when the two sides meet in Tuesday’s World Cup play-off final: ‘Italy came to play friendly matches after the war in 1996. For this, we are always grateful’. 

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Dzeko: ‘Italy came to play friendly matches after the Bosnian war, we are always grateful’

The Azzurri will travel to the freezing Zenica to take on Bosnia and Herzegovina for a spot in the final 2026 World Cup tournament. Gennaro Gattuso’s side are the highest-ranked nation in the World that do not yet have a place at the World Cup wrapped up, and will need to beat Bosnia away from home to avoid missing out for a third tournament cycle in a row.

Italy beat Northern Ireland 2-0 in Bergamo thanks to second-half goals from Sandro Tonali and Moise Kean in order to qualify for Tuesday’s play-off final, while Dzeko struck with an equaliser in the 86th minute, which sent Bosnia on their way to a penalty shoot-out victory over Wales in Cardiff on the same night. 

There has been plenty of talk from both camps ahead of the crucial play-off decider on Tuesday evening, but Dzeko has called for a show of respect towards Italy and its national team given its previous gestures of goodwill to Bosnia during times of adversity. 

“Everyone should stand up and applaud when the Italian anthem begins. Italy came to play friendly matches after the Bosnian war in 1996. For this, we are always grateful,” said Dzeko during his pre-match press conference. 

“Then in 90 minutes, it will be a battle. Friends afterwards, like before. Whatever happens, happens.” 

Click here to read Dzeko’s pre-match press conference in full.

Italy have played against Bosnia and Herzegovina on six previous occasions, winning four, drawing one and losing one. 

The loss came in the first ever meeting of the two sides back in 1996, when an Azzurri side led by Arrigo Sacchi travelled to Sarajevo to take part in a friendly shortly after the end of the Bosnian war. 

That team featured the likes of Paolo Maldini, Dino Baggio, Roberto Di Matteo, Gianfranzo Zola and Enrico Chiesa, the latter two combining for Italy’s only goal in an eventual 2-1 loss to the newly formed national side of Bosnia and Herzegovina. 

Every other meeting between Italy and Bosnia has come within the last seven years. They met twice in qualification for EURO 2020, both ending in victories for the Azzurri, twice in the 2020-21 Nations League campaign and once in an international friendly just before the start of EURO 2024.

Bosnia head coach Sergej Barbarez says that he has no issue with ‘parking the bus’ if Bosnia and Herzegovina take the lead against Italy in their World Cup play-off final on Tuesday night, but says that he expects the bus to be parked down at the other end of the pitch if the scores are reversed.

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Barbarez previews Bosnia and Herzegovina vs. Italy play-off final

Bosnia will welcome Italy to Zenica for the decisive World Cup play-off final on Tuesday evening, kicking off at 19.45 BST. The Azzurri beat Northern Ireland 2-0 in Bergamo to qualify on Thursday evening, while the hosts overcame Wales on penalties in Cardiff on the same night. 

Despite playing for an additional half hour on Thursday evening, Barbarez has confirmed that all of his players are fit and raring to go against Italy on Tuesday night. 

“Everyone is fine apart from the coach, who has lost his voice,” said Barbarez during his pre-match press conference. “We’ve had time to recover. The game was challenging but we’re happy. We hope to be able to hold on until the end.” 

• Read more: Dzeko warns: ‘If Italy are afraid to play in Wales, something isn’t working’

Reporters at Barbarez’s press conference asked him what he made of the suggestion that the Bosnia national team is ‘too slow’. 

He replied: “Preparing for the game includes analysing how to play. What matters is my players and how they play tomorrow. It doesn’t matter what others think or what others have said.” 

Reviewing his side’s penalty shoot-out victory over Wales in Cardiff last week, Barbarez added: “The game against Wales was full of emotions. We had a lot of energy and that was the biggest mistake. Now we feel smarter and we won’t make the same mistakes again. Tomorrow is another day, whatever happens, you have to live with it.

“There are so many feelings for Italy, it’s so important for them, but also for us. Given the situation in the country, it’s even more important.” 

And what has Barbarez made of the Italy national team from his analysis thus far. 

“We will have to have courage and pay attention to the details, play at our best,” he said. “We can’t create any panicked situations and might need a bit of luck to score a few goals.

“If we score and it’s 1-0 for us, we’ll park the bus at one end of the pitch, otherwise, we’ll park it at the other end. Let’s start the game first. I’m happy to have made it this far. I feel and see the love that comes from these players.” 

Lastly, Barbarez admitted that he is unlikely to make any surprise changes to his line-up or set-up approaching the Italy decider: “We’ve been playing with a consistent system for a year and a half, I don’t know if it’s the time for experiments.” 

Edin Dzeko says that he has taken no issue with the video clip of Federico Dimarco and Guglielmo Vicario celebrating Bosnia’s penalty shoot-out victory against Wales, but has warned that if Italy are ‘afraid’ to play away in Cardiff, then ‘something isn’t working’. 

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Dzeko ‘would have preferred to not play against Italy in this final’

Italy and Bosnia will meet in Zenica on Tuesday evening for a place at the 2026 World Cup tournament after wins for the against Northern Ireland and Wales in their respective semi-finals on Thursday evening. 

Italy is the highest ranked nation in the world that does not yet have a spot at the World Cup wrapped up, and will now have to take on the freezing temperatures and hostile atmosphere at the reduced-capacity Bilino Polje Stadium in Zenica on Tuesday night. 

Minor off-pitch ‘controversies’ have cropped up for Italy in the days leading up to their play-off final, including a viral video clip of Dimarco, Vicario and a handful of their national team colleagues celebrating Bosnia’s penalty shoot-out victory over Wales on Thursday night. 

• Read more: Dimarco unwise to celebrate, but televising incident only hurts Italy

The video was met with mixed reactions, with some accusing the Azzurri stars of being too ‘arrogant’ or lacking respect for their upcoming opponents. 

“Thank goodness the focus has shifted to the other side,” said Dzeko when asked about the clip during his pre-match press conference in Sarajevo on Monday (via TMW). 

“Everyone has their own preferences, who they want to play against and who they don’t. You have to be smart, especially today with social media, because everything can slide in a different direction. But for me, this is all normal.” 

Dzeko was asked about the now infamous video clip for a second time during his press conference. He says that he ‘doesn’t know why’ Italy didn’t want to play against Wales, and says that something must be up if a side like the Azzurri fear the thought of having to play away in Cardiff. 

“We all saw what happened,” Dzeko said. “I’ll tell you honestly that it’s a very normal thing. Like I said before, we all have our preferences. Mine might have been to not play against Italy in this final. I can’t celebrate because I’m playing against them. 

“But obviously today we have to be careful. We saw it. Italy didn’t want to play in Wales, I don’t know why. We went there without fear and we won. I don’t know why Italy should be afraid of Wales or Bosnia. They have an incredible national team, which has won four World Cups. If they’re afraid to play in Wales, something isn’t working. 

“Maybe we have to see if they can suffer in this way in this game as well. A lot is at stake after missing two World Cups. It means that they’re afraid. Dimarco wrote to me saying that he didn’t want to offend anyone and I told him what we’re talking about now. There’s no problem.” 

And on his own country, Dzeko said: “What we want is to win, but we still have to prepare well and play to the maximum. Italians will have prepared well because it is important for them as well.

“I’m sure that Italy won’t underestimate us, especially not after the statements from Dimarco and Vicario. Nobody was happy with how things went. We have to show our quality, we play at home and we’re focusing a lot on the fans.” 

Dzeko spent close to a decade of his career playing in Serie A, but has since left Fiorentina to play for Schalke in the 2.Bundesliga, his first time back in Germany since leaving VfL Wolfsburg for Manchester City in 2011.

“German and Italian football have nothing in common,” Dzeko said. “With the former, intensity prevails. This is what is missing in the Italian game and it is also pointed out by journalists. Maybe they don’t do well for this reason. I expect a tactical game. Italy have also missed the last two World Cups.” 

Dzeko also spoke about the previous conversations he has had with Italy national team head coach Gennaro Gattuso. 

“I saw him at the match in Florence, Fiorentina vs. Milan,” Dzeko recalled. 

“I told him ‘Mister, I hope to see you in Bosnia’ and here we are. We’ll see each other in a very important game for both countries. I have a lot of friends in Italy, there will be a lot of respect before and after the game. 

“Everyone must stand up and applaud when the Italian anthem begins. Italy came to play friendly matches after the Bosnian war in 1996. For this, we are always grateful. Then in 90 minutes, it will be a battle. Friends afterwards, like before. Whatever happens, happens.” 

Romelu Lukaku has explained himself after his absence from Napoli training during the international break, and has admitted that he hasn’t been at 100% for the majority of the 2025-26 season: ‘It took a toll mentally’. 

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Reports in Italy over the last week claim that Napoli were left angered after Lukaku took the decision to stay in Belgium to train individually during the international break, without the club’s permission. 

It has been a miserable season for Belgium’s all-time leading goalscorer, who will go into April with just seven appearances and 64 minutes worth of club action to his name. 

He picked up an injury during Napoli’s final pre-season friendly of the summer, which kept him sidelined until January, and since then, ‘Big Rom’ has struggled to get himself back to full fitness and has failed to surpass Rasmus Hojlund in the Partenopei pecking order. 

What did Lukaku say about missing Napoli training?

Lukaku, who remains in Belgium and is expected to stay in his homeland for the rest of the international break, has since given his reasons in a post published to his Instagram story. 

“This season has been a lot for me from dealing with the injury and the personal loss. I know there has been a lot of noise about my situation in the last few days and it’s important to clarify the whole situation,” the statement read. 

“The truth is the last few weeks I wasn’t feeling right physically and I had it checked out while I was in Belgium and it showed me that there was an inflammation and liquid on my hip flexor muscle next to my scar tissue since it is the 2nd problem I had since coming back early November.

“I chose to do the rehab in Belgium so I can help the when called upon. I think most of you saw the interview I did in Verona. There’s nothing more I would love to do than play and win my team. But right now I have to male sure I am clinically 100% cause I haven’t been recently and it took a toll mentally. 

“It’s been a lot this year. But in the end I will get there and help Napoli and national team to their respective objectives when called upon. That’s all I want.”

Reports in Italy claim that Juventus could target a move for Manchester United midfielder Manuel Ugarte this summer, and that the Old Lady will watch the Uruguayan in action against Algeria in an international friendly at the Allianz Stadium on Tuesday evening. 

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Could Juventus make a summer move for United’s Ugarte?

According to reports from La Gazzetta dello Sport, Ugarte is a midfielder that Juventus have followed for several years, dating back to his time with Sporting CP. 

Monday’s report claims that the Bianconeri have since made several attempts to bring Ugarte to Turin, both during his time with Paris Saint-Germain and with Manchester United. 

The interest remains, and La Gazzetta dello Sport suggests that Juventus could make a move for the Uruguay international this summer, particularly in the event that Teun Koopmeiners is let go at some stage during the summer transfer window. 

Galatasaray are said to be interested in Koopmeiners, and are also potentially looking at Ugarte as a back-up option. 

Juventus will also have an opportunity to watch Ugarte up close for themselves when he and his international teammates step out onto the Allianz Stadium pitch for a friendly against Algeria on Tuesday evening. 

Bianconeri director Marco Ottolini is expected to attend and will be keeping a close eye on the 24-year-old, who cost Manchester United a fee of €50m two summers ago.

Manuel Locatelli has become the target of criticism from some Juventus supporters on social media after going for dinner with a number of Inter first-team stars while away in camp with the Italy national team. 

Some Juventus fans angered by Locatelli dinner with Inter and Italy teammates

Italy beat Northern Ireland 2-0 in their World Cup play-off semi-final against Northern Ireland on Thursday evening, and will now be tasked with an away match against Bosnia and Herzegovina on Tuesday night as they look to secure a place at the final 2026 tournament. 

The Azzurri players were given a night off on Friday, the day after the Northern Ireland victory, and a number of Gennaro Gattuso’s players were photographed having dinner together at the Ristorante Tullio near to Italy’s Coverciano training base in Florence. 

There were a core of Inter players in attendance: Pio Esposito, Federico Dimarco, Nicolo Barella and Alessandro Bastoni were photographed, along with Juventus captain Locatelli and goalkeeper Guglielmo Vicario, who has been strongly linked with a move to join the Nerazzurri from Tottenham Hotspur this summer.

However, the fact that Locatelli decided to sit down and agree to be photographed with a number of Inter players, Juventus’s fiercest rivals, has angered a number of Bianconeri supporters on social media. 

Tensions between the two clubs have been particularly intense over the last two months following the fiery Derby d’Italia between the two sides in February, when Alessandro Bastoni escaped punishment for diving, and instead passionately celebrated the incorrect decision to send off Juve’s Pierre Kalulu. 

One supporter on X wrote: “Today’s Juventus perfectly represented by its captain. After tough seasons, he was regaining his place in the hearts of the fans. Then, you see him in a photo with ‘those’ guys who took you for a ride just one month ago.” 

“What sort of a captain,” one supporter questioned. Another wrote: “And this is the captain of Juventus FC. Get out of here you piece of human s***.”

Another Juventus supporter labelled Locatelli’s association with the Inter players as a “crime of friendship.”

Unsurprisingly, some Inter supporters have taken the opportunity to goad some of their rival supporters, with comments such as “the worst player in the world surrounded by the strongest,” or, more kindly “Welcome to Inter 2026-27, Locatelli.” 

Not all Juventus supporters agree on the Locatelli photo, though. Some feel that the suggestion that their captain is some sort of ‘traitor’ because he went for dinner with some of his international teammates is ridiculous. 

“You know that supporters like you are the reason why we haven’t won anything for years,” one fan replied to one of the aforementioned posts.

“It’s difficult to find a stupider post than this one, but there you have it. Another example of how part of the Juventus fanbase has sunk even lower in these recent years without victories,” another added. 

“Next time they’re in camp, he’ll only talk to Cambiaso and Gatti to improve the vibe in the dressing room. Poor Kean, though, he’ll end up talking to the walls given that he doesn’t have any teammates from Fiorentina,” an Inter fan jokingly suggested.

Federico Gatti says that Italy have to block out distractions, keep the talking to a minimum and focus on themselves heading into Tuesday evening’s crucial World Cup play-off final away against Bosnia and Herzegovina: ‘We will play for the nation’. 

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Italy are two days away from their decisive World Cup play-off final away against Bosnia and Herzegovina, which will determine whether the national team qualifies for the final tournament or misses out for the third cycle in a row. 

The Azzurri have not qualified for the World Cup since 2014 and have not played in a knock-out game at the tournament since beating France in the final to win the whole thing back in 2006. 

Gennaro Gattuso’s side finished second in their qualifying group behind Norway, which condemned them to the play-offs for the third time in a row. They have since beaten Northern Ireland 2-0 in Bergamo, while Bosnia beat Wales on penalties to set up Tuesday’s play-off final tie. 

“The most important thing was to win and to get through to the final. Now we’ll give everything in this match, on the pitch or off it, we’re preparing as best as we can,” said Gatti in an interview with Rai Sport ahead of Tuesday’s play-off decider (via TMW). 

Gatti on Italy pressure, Bosnia hostility and Dzeko challenge

Italy got the job done with second half goals from Sandro Tonali and Moise Kean against Northern Ireland, but the first half did not make for particularly comfortable viewing for Azzurri supporters. Many have suggested that the ‘ghosts’ of their previous play-off semi-final defeat against North Macedonia in 2022 was starting to creep into some of the players’ minds. 

“I didn’t experience them personally, but there was and still is a certain atmosphere, the weight of a country on your shoulders,” Gatti said. “But we also need some lightness. We play a lot, but we have to approach this as best as possible without wasting too much energy in the days before.

“Now we’ve got a fundamental match coming up and we need to find all the possible energy to put into it. I’m sure that there will be that spirit of wanting to die for our teammates, and with that, we’ll always get results. 

“Things will speak for themselves on the pitch, it will be a very tough game. I’ve never played in Bosnia before, but they tell me that the pitch is small, the fans are intense, it will be a real man’s challenge.” 

Gatti believes that the Italy team is in the right hands with Gennaro Gattuso in charge: “The coach has brought sparkle and energy. The results help to bring the group together. It has to be a journey.” 

Gatti is well aware that Italy will be met by a hostile atmosphere when they travel to Zenica: “Yes, but we have to focus on ourselves,” he said. 

“I don’t like to talk before games, nowadays everyone is able to judge for themselves. This is a match that could change our future. We have to look at it from that perspective and that’s it. Let’s leave the talking to others.” 

And on the conditions that awaits the Italy players in Bosnia, he said:  “I’ve played on worse pitches. I don’t know what the conditions will be like, but we have to be ready for anything. The match is so important and what will be will be, but we have to give it 110%.” 

Lastly, Gatti was asked about the prospect of a challenge with the legendary Edin Dzeko on Tuesday night. 

“I played against him at Juventus in his first year at Inter,” he said. “He’s a very strong striker, his career speaks for itself. We will look for the energy we need to bring home a result that could change all of our futures, and we will play for the nation.”