Italy must once again rebuild after another World Cup play-off elimination, and Gazzetta names the players expected to retain their spots in the team, those who could return, and others who won’t play for the national team again.

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Italy: six players to build on after World Cup disaster

Gennaro Gattuso’s future as the Italy national team coach is far from certain, even though FIGC President Gabriele Gravina has asked both the coach and Delegation Chief Gigi Buffon to remain in charge despite another dramatic elimination from the World Cup play-offs.

Gazzetta argues that regardless of Gattuso’s future, six players are expected to retain their spots in the team: Captain Gigio Donnarumma, Marco Palestra, Moise Kean, Francesco Pio Esposito, Riccardo Calafiori and Sandro Tonali.

The pink paper even adds Gianluca Scamacca, 27, but the Atalanta striker has suffered numerous injuries in recent years and has scored only once in 22 appearances with the Azzurri.

Mateo Retegui was not in his best shape after months in the Saudi Pro League, and it’s no coincidence that he’s pushing to return to Serie A, reportedly holding talks with Milan and Juventus.

Napoli winger Matteo Politano started both play-off games, but is unlikely to play a key role in the future as he’ll turn 33 in August. The same goes for Leonardo Spinazzola and Bryan Cristante.

Gazzetta notes that despite their poor performances on the international level, it’s hard to imagine Italy’s short-term future without Inter stars Nicolò Barella, Alessandro Bastoni and Federico Dimarco, even if they’ll all be over 30 when the next World Cup is played in 2030.

The likes of Davide Bartesaghi, Michael Kayode and Cher Ndour are showing good developments at a club level. Francesco Camarda, 18, is one of the most interesting Italian prospects, but a shoulder injury halted his growth while on loan at Lecce this season.

The likes of Daniel Maldini, Mattia Zaccagni, Federico Chiesa, Nicolò Zaniolo, Matteo Gabbia, Samuele Ricci and Nicolò Fagioli are expected to be considered for future call-ups, depending on whether Gattuso remains in charge and his potential replacement.

• Read more – Italy’s selection crisis and the short-term decisions that should lead to three resignations

Argentina coach Lionel Scaloni is ‘saddened’ by Italy’s World Cup play-off elimination: ‘It is sad because of how it happened, in an unfair way; it is a hard truth to accept.’

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Italy have failed to qualify for the World Cup for the third time in a row, losing the play-off Final on penalties to Bosnia and Herzegovina on Tuesday.

Following a 5-0 friendly win over Zambia, Argentina national team coach Scaloni, a former Lazio defender, spared a thought for the Azzurri.

“I have Italian relatives, and what is happening in Italy saddens me,” he said at a post-match press conference.

“It is a brother country to Argentina that cares deeply for us. It is a world power, so the fact that it is not present does not sit well with us Argentines. It is sad because of how it happened, in an unfair way; it is a hard truth to accept.”

Argentina are the defending World Cup champions and have been placed in Group J at the World Cup along with Algeria, Austria and Jordan.

Bosnia and Herzegovina reached the World Cup play-offs instead of Italy and will feature in Group B with Qatar, Canada and Switzerland.

Meanwhile, in Italy, FIGC President Gabriele Gravina is under severe pressure, as the Minister for Sport has called for major changes in the Italian FA leadership, effectively suggesting that Gravina should resign.

• Read more – Italy miss out on World Cup: live reactions and updates

The headquarters of the Italian Football Federation in Rome was vandalised with eggs thrown at night, following a defeat in the World Cup play-off Final against Bosnia and Herzegovina.

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FIGC headquarters vandalised after World Cup fiasco

Some Italian fans vented their frustration at the Azzurri’s World Cup play-off elimination on Tuesday night, throwing eggs at the entrance to the FIGC headquarters in Via Allegri in Rome, according to reports in Italy.

FIGC President Gabriele Gravina returned to the headquarters on Wednesday morning, and upon his arrival, a fan held a banner urging him to resign.

The Azzurri have missed out on qualification for the World Cup for the third time in a row, the second under Gravina’s tenure.

Gravina refused to resign last night, but has scheduled a general FIGC meeting for tomorrow, Thursday, April 2.

The FIGC President is facing mounting domestic pressure, even from Sports Minister Andrea Abodi, who has urged Gravina to acknowledge his responsibility after another catastrophic result for Italian football.

• Read more – Italy miss out on World Cup: live reactions and updates

Italy captain Gianluigi Donnarumma admits he ‘cried’ after a World Cup play-off Final defeat against Bosnia and Herzegovina, but urges fans to keep supporting the team with ‘strength, passion and belief.’

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It’s another shocking day for Italian football as the Azzurri have failed to qualify for the World Cup for the third consecutive time.

Tuesday’s loss on penalties against Bosnia and Herzegovina means the Azzurri won’t travel to the USA, Mexico, and Canada next summer, while their most recent World Cup appearance dates back to 2014.

Leonardo Spinazzola was the only Italy player facing the media at full-time, while captain Gigio Donnarumma sent a message to Azzurri supporters via Instagram on Wednesday.

“Last night, after the match, I cried,” wrote the Manchester City star.

“I cried with disappointment at not being able to take Italy to where it deserves to be. I cried because of the immense sadness I’m feeling together with the entire Azzurri squad of which I am proud to be captain, and which, I know, at this moment, you too are feeling, supporters of our national team.

“Now words don’t mean much, it’s true. But there’s one thing I feel strongly inside and want to share with you. After such a great disappointment, we must find the courage to turn the page once again. And to do that, we need a lot of strength, passion and belief. Always believing. That’s the engine that drives us forward because life knows how to reward those who give everything, holding nothing back.

“And this is where we must start again. Together. Once more. To bring Italy back to where it deserves to be.”

Donnarumma has made 81 appearances for the Italy national team but has never played in a World Cup with the Azzurri, and will be 31 when the next World Cup is held in 2030.

View this post on Instagram

 

A post shared by GIANLUIGI DONNARUMMA (@donnarumma)

Juventus have been linked with signing Italy and Newcastle star Sandro Tonali, but his price tag this summer will make it hard for any Serie A club to sign the ex-Milan star.

Tonali is surely one of the most highly regarded central midfielders in Europe, and his recent brilliant displays with the Italy national team only reinforced his status as one of the best Azzurri players.

Several ex-Juventus and Italy stars have urged Juventus to sign the 25-year-old from Lodi, but the level of competition, especially financially, will make it very hard for the Bianconeri to secure a deal for the Italian ace.

As 1xBet login highlights, Newcastle are unlikely to qualify for any European competition this season, and with many top clubs targeting the ex-Milan star for next summer, a move seems practically certain.

Tonali’s agent, Beppe Riso, will hold talks with the Magpies this month to determine his client’s future: “We will evaluate in March whether Newcastle are open to anything, but right now he is playing in the Champions League, it is not the right moment to talk about it,” Riso said last month.

A former Milan star, Tonali has three goals and seven assists in 47 appearances across all competitions with Newcastle this season.

According to reports in Italy, Newcastle will demand at least €90m for Tonali next summer, making it nearly impossible for Juventus to compete with Premier League clubs.

Arsenal, Manchester United and City are said to be interested in the Italy international who joined the Magpies from Milan in a deal exceeding €70m in the summer of 2023.

Regardless of Tonali’s future beyond the summer, the Italian has surely built a strong bond with Newcastle and their fans.

Tonali recently expressed his gratitude to the Magpies’ supporters, especially for their support during a betting ban in 2024.

“It goes beyond football; it’s a matter of everyday life. Too often, we judge people before really knowing them, and we hurt them,” Tonali said.

“The line between right and wrong is very thin, but Newcastle fans never cross it. They see, they understand, and they think; they don’t judge. Their behaviour has taught me not to judge. Everyone can make mistakes, but that doesn’t mean everyone has the right to judge. I will always acknowledge this credit to Newcastle fans. If I think this way today, it’s because they did the same to me.

“It’s rare for such a bond to be created between a player and fans without really having done anything. I basically just play football. Many people play football, and many play it well, but not everyone has this kind of relationship with their fans. I was, and still am, surprised by the affection I receive.”

Italy’s Minister for Sport, Andrea Abodi, says ‘Italian football needs to be rebuilt’, a process that ‘must start with a renewal of the FIGC leadership.’

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Italy’s Minister for Sport calls for drastic changes in Italian football after another World Cup disappointment.

The Azzurri lost on penalties to Bosnia and Herzegovina in the World Cup play-off Final on Tuesday night, failing to qualify for the competition for the third consecutive time.

“I thank the team and the coach for the commitment they showed last night, but it’s evident that Italian football needs to be rebuilt, and this process must start with a renewal of the FIGC leadership,” Abodi said in a statement on Wednesday morning.

“Football is a sport, and in times of military and economic crisis like these, it should not be burdened with excessive meanings. On the other hand, it is undeniable that football is more than just a sport, especially in Italy, where it has become part of popular culture, a communal ritual, and a source of international prestige,” he continued.

“It saddens me to think that there is an entire generation of children and young people who have yet to experience the thrill of watching the national team play in a World Cup.”

FIGC President Gabriele Gravina has refused to resign, but is facing growing pressure in Italy. Gravina has been in charge since 2018 and was re-elected in February 2025 with 98.68% of the votes.

During his press conference last night, Gravina called for measures in support of the football system, but Abodi hit back, saying that the FIGC President should acknowledge his responsibility.

“The Government has demonstrably shown, over the years, its commitment to the entire Italian sports movement,” Abodi noted.

“Our athletes have given us immense satisfaction across many disciplines. I consider it objectively unfair to deny one’s own responsibility for the third consecutive failure to qualify for the World Cup by accusing institutions of alleged shortcomings and downplaying the importance of the professional level in other sports.

“We will continue, as we’ve done so far, to carry out the institutions’ responsibilities, but what is needed is responsibility, humanity, and respect from everyone. Italy must return to being Italy, even in world Football.”

Italian players returned home on Wednesday morning, landing at Malpensa Airport just a few hours after their defeat in Bosnia.

Napoli President Aurelio De Laurentiis says Serie A should be cut to 16 teams to allow more time for Italy’s national team training, while also insisting on compensation and ‘full insurance’ protection for players called up to international duty.

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Italy are once again licking their wounds after failing for the third time in a row to qualify for the World Cup. The Azzurri lost on penalties to Bosnia and Herzegovina on Tuesday night in the play-off Final.

Napoli President De Laurentiis spoke about the state of Italian football in an interview with Radio CRC just a few hours after the Azzurri’s loss.

“My sentiment has been clear for ten years. It just makes me smile,” he said via TMW.

“We’ve always said that too many games have been played, and this destroys our players. Today, we still want to have 20 teams [in Serie A], but if we return to 16 teams and abolish the Supercups played in Saudi Arabia, we’d rest our players, who are a heritage we pay for, and we’d have time to let the national team train. We should start thinking: is the tactical approach that Italian football prides itself on really conducive to achieving against other nations?

“For years, I’ve argued that everything in Italian football is stagnant and nothing changes, because when nothing changes, everyone muddles along. I’m not someone who likes to muddle along,” ADL continued.

“Sixteen teams, fewer matches, more time to train the national team.”

The Napoli owner, however, also suggested that national federations should pay clubs for the use of their players.

“Compensating clubs for players called up to the national team and full insurance coverage in case of injury: in my view, that’s the restart we need,” he added.

FIGC President Gabriele Gravina has so far refused to resign, but is facing internal pressure on several fronts, and ex-CONI President Giovanni Malagò has emerged as a possible replacement.

Malagò, 67, surely has the backing of De Laurentiis.

“Someone like Malagò, who is used to always doing his best because he’s a great professional and has always shown it, is someone who can contribute rather than take, and he also has a certain humanity,” concluded the Napoli President.

“If we were to restart with him tomorrow morning, I believe we would be strong again within a couple of years.”

Mario Balotelli’s goal against England on June 14, 2014, remains the last goal the Azzurri have scored at a World Cup: ‘Proud to be Italian, always and no matter what,’ said the ex-Inter striker.

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Italy have suffered another massive World Cup blow, losing on penalties to Bosnia and Herzegovina in the play-off Final on Tuesday night.

It’s the third time in a row that the Azzurri fail to qualify for the World Cup.

La Nazionale made their last appearance in the competition in 2014 and were eliminated in the group phase, playing against England, Costa Rica and Uruguay.

They won the opening match 2-1 against the Three Lions with goals from Claudio Marchisio and Balotelli, but then lost 1-0 to Costa Rica and Uruguay, who went on to qualify for the Round of 16.

Balotelli’s winning goal against England remains the last one scored by the Azzurri at the World Cup.

The 35-year-old striker, now playing for UAE club Al-Ittifaq, reacted to the Azzurri’s loss with an Instagram story: “Proud to be Italian, always and no matter what,” wrote the ex-Inter, Milan and Manchester City striker, adding two pictures of his appearance at the 2014 World Cup.

Balotelli reacts to Italy’s loss vs. Bosnia and Herzegovina

La Gazzetta dello Sport calls Italy’s World Cup play-off elimination as the ‘Third Apocalypse’, and while it’s ‘unfair’ to only blame Gennaro Gattuso, it’s ‘hard to imagine the national team restarting with the coach who led it to such a serious defeat.’

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Italian newspaper Gazzetta dello Sport reacts to Italy’s defeat to Bosnia and Herzegovina in the World Cup play-off Final, which prevented the Azzurri from qualifying for the competition for the third consecutive time.

The Azzurri had already missed out on World Cup qualification in 2018 under Giampiero Ventura and 2022 under Roberto Mancini.

“The third Apocalypse is terrible because it has two behind it,” wrote Gazzetta senior writer Luigi Garlando.

“It has lost the sense of shock, of an unexpected catastrophe. It is becoming normal. For the third consecutive time, we will not take part in a World Cup. We’ll talk about it in 2030, 16 years after the last participation. For the first time, there will be young people coming of age who have never seen Italy at a World Cup.”

Moise Kean gave Italy the lead last night, but there was a turning point right before half-time when Alessandro Bastoni received a straight red card.

It was the right decision, and even though other calls by the referee were far more debatable, Gazzetta refused to blame the match official.

“Refereeing mistakes? We made more of them ourselves,” Stefano Agresti added.

“The truth is that Bosnia were stronger, and we are tired of thinking about how to improve: technique, speeches. The third Apocalypse is the worst.

“In Zenica, they gave us some reasons to protest. Not Bastoni’s sending-off, which was clear, but rather the failure to show a red card to Muharemovic. But come on, we are Italy. Can we really cling to such small details when facing the 71st-ranked national team in the World? We threw the match away ourselves. Bastoni’s mistake affected it, perhaps even decided it, but even with ten men, we had chances to score.”

The victory in the 2020 Euros now looks like an exception to the norm as the Azzurri have not played in the World Cup since 2014 and have not played a knockout match in the competition since 2006, when they last lifted the trophy.

“Recent history tells us something clear: the exception, sadly, is not missing the World Cup, but the victory five years ago at Wembley,” Agresti continued.

“Normality is, sadly, what we saw at the small stadium in Zenica. Gattuso failed in the most important match. It would be unfair to blame Rino only. Before him, Ventura, Mancini and Spalletti also failed, so it means the problem is not on the bench. But it is still hard to imagine the national team restarting with the coach who led it to such a serious defeat.”

For now, no decision has been taken regarding Gattuso, but even FIGC President Gabriele Gravina and Delegation Chief Gianluigi Buffon have refused to resign.

“We have said it many times, in a mix of disappointment, anger and indignation. We must rebuild the system. We can no longer postpone it. The situation is an absolute emergency, and in such cases, there is just one solution,” Gazzetta concluded.

“To act with extraordinary measures. We need to work on the youth sectors, on regulations to protect Italian players. It will take time, it will require, above all, the right people and the right ideas. But we cannot wait any longer. Otherwise, generations of young people who have never seen Italy at a World Cup will continue to grow.”

Italy players and staff members returned to Malpensa Airport early on Wednesday morning after another World Cup play-off elimination.

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Italian players landed at the Malpensa Airport in Milan on Wednesday morning, a few hours after their defeat on penalties in the World Cup play-off Final against Bosnia and Herzegovina.

Sportitalia have shared the video of the Azzurri’s return to Italy, showing players and staff members obviously dejected.

The Azzurri have failed to qualify for the World Cup for the third time in a row, making their last appearance in the competition in 2014.

Video: Italy players land in Milan after World Cup disaster

La Nazionale #Azzurra fa rientro a #Malpensa dopo il KO contro la #Bosnia

@GianluVisco #italia #mondiali pic.twitter.com/uiMbtJb75K

— Sportitalia (@tvdellosport) April 1, 2026

Italy have failed to qualify for the World Cup for the third time in a row, marking their last appearance in the competition in 2014: here are the three teams that, sadly, made history in the wrong way for the Azzurri.

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Tuesday’s defeat to Bosnia and Herzegovina in the World Cup play-off Final has kept Italy out of the competition for the third consecutive time.

Italy fail to qualify for the World Cup for 3rd time in a row

It’s another nightmare for the country and its fans, who have not seen La Nazionale play at the World Cup since Brazil 2014, while the last knockout game played in the tournament was in 2006, when they went on to lift the coveted cup under Marcello Lippi.

Back in 2017, when the team coached by Giampiero Ventura was eliminated in the play-off by Sweden, it felt surreal that the Azzurri could miss out on a World Cup. Nine years later, it has become a sad habit.

Under Ventura, there were different rules as the World Cup play-off was a two-legged tie against one team, Sweden in that case. The Azzurri lost 1-0 on aggregate.

Four years later, the play-offs were held across the semi-final and final, and in 2022, the Azzurri, coached by Roberto Mancini, lost in the semis to North Macedonia. Had they qualified for the Final, they would have met Portugal away.

This time around, Italy, under Gattuso, qualified for the play-off Final but were once again unable to qualify for the World Cup, losing on penalties to the 65th-ranked team in the FIFA rankings.

Italy’s formations that missed out on the World Cup

2018: Buffon; Barzagli, Bonucci, Chiellini; Candreva (76′ Bernardeschi), Parolo, Jorginho, Florenzi, Darmian (64′ El Shaarawy); Immobile, Gabbiadini (64′ Belotti). Coach: Ventura.

2022: Donnarumma; Florenzi, Mancini (89′ Chiellini), Bastoni, Emerson; Barella (77′ Tonali), Jorginho, Verratti; Berardi (89′ Joao Pedro), Immobile (77′ Pellegrini), Insigne. Coach: Mancini.

2026: Donnarumma; Mancini, Bastoni, Calafiori; Politano (46′ Palestra), Barella (85′ Frattesi), Locatelli (71′ Cristante), Tonali, Dimarco (91′ Spinazzola); Kean (71′ Esposito), Retegui (44′ Gatti). Coach: Gattuso.

La Gazzetta dello Sport

Italy without the World Cup for the third time in a row

Everyone go home

The nightmare continues: Kean deceives, Bastoni gets a red card, and Bosnia equalise. We go out on penalties (5-2). Gattuso in tears and on the brink: ‘Sorry, I didn’t make it.’

Gravina resists: ‘The FIGC council decides.’

Corriere dello Sport

Third failure

Everyone go home

Italy are once again out of the World Cup. Gattuso: ‘I apologise.’ A system to be reset.

Azzurri go ahead right away with Kean. Bastoni sent off at the 41st minute. Moise and Dimarco waste the 2-0, Tabakovic scored the leveller at minute 79. Disastrous referee Turpin. Esposito and Cristante made mistakes from the spot. The coach: ‘A blow. My future? Let’s see.’

Tuttosport

Bosnia celebrate on penalties. Italy out of the World Cup for the third time in a row

Everyone out!

Kean decives, but Bastoni’s red card at minute 42 leaves the Azzurri down to ten men, but in the second half they missed three incredible chances. Then the 1-1 (illegal) of Tabakovic and the struggles until the end of extra time. Esposito and Cristante’s mistakes from the spot are decisive. The flop in Zenica is the mirror of our football: it must be rebuilt, starting from the federal leaders. Not even the referees respect us anymore: Turpin pardons Muharemovic (he deserved a red card), who then blocks a shot from Pio with his arm. Gattuso in tears: ‘I apologise to Italy, I didn’t make it.’

‘Iran will go to the World Cup’

Juve: Guerreiro is an opportunity

Simeone: Toro try to tie him down

Lukaku-Napoli, total clash

Juventus are reportedly ready to listen to offers of at least €60m for their star defender Gleison Bremer.

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Tuttosport reports that Juventus will listen to offers of at least €60m for their centre-back Bremer next summer.

Report Bremer can leave Juventus for 60m

The Bianconeri have not put the Brazilian on the market, but such an offer would prompt them to sit down with potential suitors.

Tuttosport highlights that the only player that Juventus are unwilling to sell under any circumstances is Kenan Yildiz, who has recently signed a contract extension until 2030.

Bremer is under contract with Juventus until June 2029.

Bremer had a €60m clause in his previous contract, and Juventus believe the same sum would reflect the player’s value in the summer.

Bremer hasn’t yet received offers from any club and scored his first goal for the Brazil national team during an international friendly against France last week.

Tuttosport adds that Juventus remain on the lookout for a new centre-forward next season, regardless of Dusan Vlahovic’s potential contract extension.

Tuttosport reports that one of Darwin Núñez’s agents visited the Uruguay international during a training session at Juventus’s training ground in Turin, as the Bianconeri continue to monitor several centre-forwards, including Romelu Lukaku.

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Juventus are currently in talks to extend Dusan Vlahovic’s contract, but they are determined to sign a centre-forward in the summer regardless of the Serbian’s future in Turin.

The club is open to listening to offers for Lois Openda and Jonathan David and has begun monitoring several forwards across Europe and beyond.

One of them is ex-Liverpool star Nunez, currently at Al-Hilal. The 26-year-old trained with the Uruguay national team in Turin on Monday ahead of tonight’s international friendly against Algeria at the Allianz Stadium in Turin.

According to Tuttosport, Nunez was visited on Monday by Tommaso Inzaghi, son of his coach Simone, and the right-hand man of Federico Pastorello, the striker’s main agent. 

Nunez is a potential target for Juventus and had already been in talks with the Bianconeri last summer before a €53m move to Al-Hilal.

According to Tuttosport, Juventus’ favourite option for the attack remains Randal Kolo Muani, but the Serie A giants have also been tracking other strikers such as Mateo Retegui, Joshua Zirkzee and Romelu Lukaku, who is expected to be frozen out at Napoli after failing to return from Belgium during the international break.

Ex-Juventus winger Hasan Salihamidzic names two Bosnia and Herzegovina talents who might hurt Italy in the World Cup play-off Final and warns the Azzurri: ‘When the Old Lady goes to the top, the national team follows.’

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Italy visit Bosnia and Herzegovina in the World Cup play-off Final tonight.

Salihamidzic: Bosnia will show ‘quality’ against Italy

It will be played at Zenica’s Bilino Polje Stadium, whose capacity has been cut by 20% following incidents in Bosnia’s most recent home match against Romania this past November.

“It’s a small stadium with an even reduced capacity, but the atmosphere will be unique, don’t forget it,” Salihamidzic, a former Juventus and Bosnia winger, told Gazzetta.

“The people will be the extra player, then the pitch will do the talking. Even if somebody thinks otherwise, there will be quality.

Kerim Alajbegovic, 18, and Esmir Bajraktarevic, 21, are two of the most exciting prospects in the Bosnian squad.

“I don’t know if Alajbegovic will start, but he’s a generational talent. Nobody doubts he has a bright future ahead. There are champions like Dzeko, and this team and his experience can surely be useful. But he’s not the only one,” said Salihamidzic.

“There are many young players who, when they are on their day, know how to turn games around: Bajraktarevic is making a name for himself at PSV. Demirovic is a bit older, but is now a pillar of Stuttgart.

“The Azzurri are in a difficult moment; the whole movement is weaker compared to the past, and not just this year. To me, the thermometer of football is called Juventus, a club I love. I’ll forever be a Bianconero,” he concluded.

“When the Old Lady goes to the top, the national team follows, and vice versa. I’m sure Juventus and Italy will return to the top, but hopefully after this play-off. For our people, it’s too important to go to America.”

Gennaro Gattuso says the atmosphere in the Italy squad has been ‘positive’ ahead of the World Cup play-off Final against Bosnia and Herzegovina, but tells his players to avoid protests against the referee: ‘ Our opponents commit a lot of fouls.’

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Italy coach Gattuso gave his final interview with Rai Sport ahead of tonight’s World Cup play-off Final against Bosnia and Herzegovina.

• Read more – World Cup play-off Final: Bosnia-Herzegovina vs. Italy – probable line-ups, where to watch on TV

Gattuso’s interview before Bosnia-Herzegovina vs. Italy

“The eyes of the boys I’ve met are good so far. Over all these days we’ve been together and the atmosphere has always been positive,” said the Azzurri boss via Gazzetta.

“Tonight we have an important match and we’ve prepared well, fully aware that we’re playing against a team with both technique and physicality. It will require a great performance from us.

“The boys are the first ones who want to go to the World Cup. If the results don’t come, they’ll suffer in silence; they pretend to have broad shoulders, but that’s not the case. I can assure you they will do everything they can. Some people would give their lives and souls to achieve this goal.”

Gattuso also spoke about the attitude he expects from his players tonight: “Bosnia are a strong side. They have strengths and weaknesses, but they are tricky. We need to focus on delivering our performance. We’ll have to hold our ground in the first 10-15 minutes and respond blow to blow,” he said.

“We’ll need to be there and endure. Our opponents commit a lot of fouls, about ten more per game than we do on average, and we’ll have to be smart not to react because the referee has great experience; he doesn’t like raised hands in protests, so we’ll need to be careful, because the match is also played on that aspect.”

Before giving his interview, Gattuso had named his 23-man squad list for the game against Bosnia.

Juventus defender Andrea Cambiaso was dropped for the semifinal against Northern Ireland last week, but has now returned to the Azzurri squad with Atalanta’s Giorgio Scalvini going to the stands instead.

The winner of tonight’s Bosnia and Herzegovina vs Italy match will qualify for the World Cup and go into Group B alongside Qatar, Switzerland and Canada.

• Read more – Everything Gattuso said in his press conference ahead of Bosnia vs. Italy

Napoli confirm Romelu Lukaku did not show up for a training session on Tuesday, so the club will take ‘appropriate disciplinary’ action, including possibly freezing him out of the first team.

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Napoli are prepared to take disciplinary action against their striker Lukaku, the club confirmed in a statement on Tuesday.

Lukaku pulled out of the Belgium national team last week due to poor fitness, but remained in Belgium to train individually rather than return to Naples.

Official Napoli statement on Lukaku

“Napoli announce that Romelu Lukaku did not respond to today’s call-up ahead of the resumption of training,” Napoli said.

“The club reserves the right to evaluate the adoption of appropriate disciplinary measures as well as the continuation of the player’s participation in the team on an indefinite basis.”

Previous reports claimed that Napoli would freeze Lukaku out of the team if he had failed to return by today.

As Sky Sport suggests, however, the Napoli statement means the club’s response could be even stronger as the Partenopei lawyers are currently examining the case.

Depending on the agreement between Napoli and Lukaku, the club could even consider terminating the contract, but all possible scenarios are now being scrutinised.

Napoli return to action on Monday, April 6, after the break, hosting second-placed Milan at the Stadio Maradona.

Read more – Lukaku breaks silence after missing Napoli training: ‘It took a toll mentally’

Former midfielder Demetrio Albertini is confident the Azzurri have enough quality to get to the World Cup, but feels Italy have not yet solved their main problem: ‘There aren’t enough Italian players in Serie A.”

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Italy visit Bosnia and Herzegovina in the World Cup play-off Final tonight, and Azzurri legend Albertini spoke about the state of Italian football prior to kick-off.

“Even in 1998, despite being a very strong generation and playing in the top league at that moment, we had to go through a play-off. In sports, it happens to have one or two games wrong; the important thing is to qualify,” Albertini told Tuttosport.

“The problem is that we have some good players, but not enough.

Albertini: ‘Limited selection options’ for Gattuso

“Generally, the national team coach has limited selection options, and, on top of that, some players have more Italy appearances than they do games played in European club competitions,” continued the ex-Milan midfielder, winner of three Champions League titles with the Rossoneri.

“It’s useless to beat around the bush; we are less prepared for a certain type of international match. This is why Gattuso wanted to recall Verratti, one who has played so many games at this level. That said, obviously, it doesn’t mean we don’t have the quality to win this play-off.”

Italy did not qualify for the World Cup in 2018 and 2022, but won the European Championships played in 2021.

“That was a deserved win, but it didn’t address the underlying problem: there aren’t enough Italian players in Serie A,” concluded Albertini, a 1994 World Cup finalist with the Italian national team.

“I’ve heard the FIGC has announced a new technical project for youth football. I hope that concrete actions are taken and that it doesn’t remain just empty proclamations.”

Roberto De Zerbi is in talks to become the new Tottenham coach and has reportedly offered Italy World Cup winner Alessandro Nesta a role on his staff in North London.

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Nesta to become De Zerbi’s assistant coach at Tottenham?

Tuttosport journalist Nicolò Schira reports that Italy World Cup winner Nesta has been offered a role on Tottenham’s coaching staff by De Zerbi.

The latter is in talks with Spurs over a long-term contract.

De Zerbi was initially eager to wait until the new season before choosing a new club, but Tottenham’s persistence has convinced him to consider their offer.

According to the report, Nesta has been offered the role of De Zerbi’s assistant, and the ex-defender is now considering the proposal.

Nesta has been working as a first-team coach for Miami FC, Perugia, Frosinone, Reggiana and Monza.

A legendary Italian defender, Nesta made 78 appearances with the Azzurri, winning the World Cup in 2006.

During his playing career, he also won the Champions League twice and the Serie A title three times, once with Lazio and twice with Milan.

Milan have confirmed the signing of Andrej Kostic from Fudbalski Klub Partizan, with the 19-year-old joining the Rossoneri on July 1, 2026.

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Milan have completed the acquisition of 19-year-old striker Kostic from Partizan, the Serie A giants confirmed in a statement on Tuesday.

The promising centre-forward had long been in talks with the Rossoneri, and Football Italia had already reported on the negotiations in December.

Kostic arrived in Milan on Sunday to undergo medical tests.

His agent, Darko Ristic, is the representative of another Milan target in attack, Juventus star Dusan Vlahovic.

Kostic, a Montenegro international, has 11 goals in 34 appearances at a club level this season. He made his senior Montenegro debut less than a year ago, in October 2025.

Transfer expert Matteo Moretto has reported on X that Milan have paid €3.5m to sign the 19-year-old and will add a maximum of €4.5m in add-ons, plus a sell-on clause, for Partizan.

Kostic will end the season at Partizan and formally join Milan from July 1, 2026.

He will initially be part of the Milan Futuro team.

Kostic joins Milan – official statement

“AC Milan is delighted to announce the signing of Andrej Kostic from Fudbalski Klub Partizan, who will be joining the Club from 1 July 2026.

“The forward, born in 2007, will be part of the Milan Futuro Project, dedicated to the growth and development of young talents.”

Chelsea defender Marc Cucurella praises Enzo Maresca and admits the Italian coach’s exit was a big blow for the Blues: ‘When a manager gives you that confidence and offers you a platform to fight for titles, you’d die for him.’

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Safe to say Spain international Cucurella is unhappy with Chelsea’s decision to part ways with Italian tactician Enzo Maresca in January.

The ex-Juventus midfielder left Stamford Bridge by mutual agreement on January 1, 2026.

Chelsea ‘more stable’ under Maresca

“With Enzo Maresca in charge, we were more stable, because we worked together for 18 months,” Cucurella told The Athletic.

“If you look at our first pre-season with him, there were doubts. You need a process for every player to understand what we need to do. In our last months with Maresca, we played almost by heart. If we changed the system, we knew what we had to do. You need that time.”

Maresca won the Conference League and the Club World Cup at Chelsea, but disagreements over the club’s long-term plans led to his exit after 18 months in charge.

“Winning a title like the Club World Cup also helps, strengthens the bond, and you create great relationships during the celebrations. When a manager gives you that confidence and offers you a platform to fight for titles, you’d die for him,” Cucurella continued.

“The moment Maresca left, it had a big impact on us. These are decisions taken by the club. If you asked me, I would not have made this decision. To make a change like that, the best thing is to wait until the end of the season. You would give everyone, the players and the new manager, time to get ready, have a full pre-season…

“The instability around the club comes from this, in a nutshell. We had a caretaker (former under-21s coach Calum McFarlane) first, then a new manager, with new ideas and no time to work on them. It is what it is.”

Recent reports in Italy have claimed that new Fiorentina director Fabio Paratici had contacted Maresca to offer him the job at the Stadio Franchi for 2026-27.

Maresca, however, is unlikely to accept the Tuscans’ proposal, given that he still has many admirers in the Premier League, including Manchester City, should Pep Guardiola depart in the summer.

Arsenal have reportedly opened talks to sign Italy-born striker Nicolò Tresoldi and are ‘favourites’ to sign the 21-year-old next summer.

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Arsenal in talks with U21 Germany striker Tresoldi

German transfer Christian Falk reports that “Arsenal are currently the favourites to sign German striker Nicolò Tresoldi (21/Club Brugge). The club is seriously interested, and talks are underway.”

Born in Cagliari, Italy, Tresoldi moved to Germany as a kid and played for Hannover 96 before joining Belgian side Club Bruges last summer.

Tresoldi has played with the German U21 squad, scoring 12 times in 23 matches, and said in a recent interview that the Italian federation had never contacted him.

Until the 21-year-old makes his senior debut with Germany, he can still get an Italy call-up and play for the Azzurri.

Tresoldi has scored 17 goals in 48 appearances across all competitions this season, including three in the Champions League.

Tresoldi was previously linked with Milan and confirmed in a recent interview of being a Rossoneri fan.

However, due to Arsenal’s strong interest, the Serie A giants might miss out on the promising striker next summer.

On an international front, there’s even a third country that could welcome Tresoldi at a senior level, Argentina, given that the striker was born in Italy to an Italian father and an Argentine mother.

Romelu Lukaku has not returned to Naples from Belgium, so Napoli will reportedly freeze the striker out.

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Belgium international Lukaku is expected to be frozen out of the Napoli squad after failing to return from Antwerp to resume training with his club.

Napoli to take action as Lukaku fails to return

Lukaku was already due to return last week, but he decided to remain in Belgium to train individually after pulling out of the Belgium squad due to poor fitness.

The striker irritated Napoli, who, according to several media outlets, threatened to leave him out of the first-team squad if he failed to return by today.

Having failed to return to the training centre for this morning’s training session, the Partenopei are now expected to take action and effectively freeze him out of the team, reports Sky Sport Italia.

Lukaku spoke about the incident for the first time on Monday in a social media post, but he didn’t mention his possible return.

“There’s nothing more I would love to do than play and win for my team,” he wrote.

“But right now I have to make sure I am clinically 100% cause I haven’t been recently, and it took a toll mentally.”

Napoli return to action after the break on Monday, April 6, hosting Milan at the Stadio Maradona.

Italy have been accused by Bosnian media of sending a ‘spy’ to watch a training session of their World Cup play-off Final opponents, but the man was an Italian soldier stationed in the country as part of a European Union mission.

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Man filmed Bosnia training session before World Cup play-off

Italy and Bosnia meet in the World Cup play-off Final in Zenica tonight.

On the eve of the game, local authorities stopped and identified a man who had been filming the Bosnia and Herzegovina training session beyond the first 15 minutes open to the media.

As reported by Gazzetta, some Bosnian media outlets thought the man was a ‘spy’ sent by the Italian federation to watch their opponent’s training session, but the reality is quite different.

The intruder, in fact, is an Italian soldier stationed in Bosnia as part of EUFOR, a mission coordinated by the European Union in Bosnia and Herzegovina.

The Italian football federation knew nothing about his presence at the Bosnia training ground, and local authorities found out through checks that the soldier had happened to be in Butmir by chance and had filmed the national team’s training session out of curiosity.

According to Gazzetta, Bosnia even sent a formal complaint to EUFOR, which, however, confirmed that the Italian Football Federation had no involvement in the incident.

Pripadnik italijanskog kontingenta @euforbih jučer je ilegalno snimao trening fudbalske reprezentacije BiH, objavio je https://t.co/ISTxOvzAaq
Isti portal navodi da je Nogmetni savez BiH uputio protestnu notu EUFOR-u pic.twitter.com/3ZyEgqaSkj

— Istraga.ba (@IstragaB) March 30, 2026

Gennaro Gattuso has named the Italy squad list for the World Cup play-off final against Bosnia and Herzegovina: Andrea Cambiaso returns, while Giorgio Scalvini is left out.

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Italy coach Gattuso has unveiled the Azzurri squad list for tonight’s World Cup play-off Final against Bosnia and Herzegovina.

Five players from the original 28-man squad had to be left out, and Gattuso has only made one change from the semi-final played against Northern Ireland last week.

Juventus full-back Cambiaso returns to the squad, while Atalanta centre-back Scalvini goes to the stands.

The other unavailable players for tonight’s match are Gianluca Scamacca (injured), Elia Caprile, Nicolò Cambiaghi and Diego Coppola.

Gattuso won’t make any change to the XI that beat Northern Ireland 2-0 last week, starting Moise Kean and Mateo Retegui in attack.

The game will be played at the Bilino Polje Stadium in Zenica, and the winner will qualify for the World Cup, going into Group B with Canada, Qatar and Switzerland.

World Cup play-off Final: Italy squad list for Bosnia and Herzegovina

Goalkeepers: Donnarumma, Carnesecchi, Meret;

Defenders: Bastoni, Buongiorno, Calafiori, Cambiaso, Dimarco, Gatti, Mancini, Palestra, Spinazzola;

Midfielders: Barella, Cristante, Frattesi, Locatelli, Pisilli, Tonali;

Attackers: Esposito, Kean, Politano, Raspadori, Retegui.

Italy coach Gennaro Gattuso is not expected to change the XI that beat Northern Ireland in the World Cup play-off semi-final last week, starting Moise Kean and Mateo Retegui in the Final against Edin Dzeko’s Bosnia and Herzegovina.

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It kicks off at 20:45 CET (19:45 BST) at the Bilino Polje Stadium in Zenica, which will have a reduced capacity due to disciplinary reasons.

It’s the World Cup play-off Final, and the Azzurri aim to qualify for the competition for the first time in 12 years.

• Read more – World Cup play-off Final: Official Italy squad list for Bosnia-Herzegovina – 5 players left out

Gattuso’s men beat Northern Ireland 2-0 in the semis last week with goals from Sandro Tonali and Moise Kean. Tonight, the coach is not expected to change the XI that emerged victorious in Bergamo five days ago.

As reported by Sky Sport, Bosnia and Herzegovina will rely on their captain and ex-Italy star Dzeko, as well as defenders Tarik Muharemovic of Sassuolo and Sead Kolasinac of Atalanta.

The winner will qualify for the World Cup and end up in Group B alongside Canada, Qatar and Switzerland.

Bosnia-Herzegovina vs. Italy – where to watch on TV

The match will be broadcast on Amazon Prime PPV in the UK and Ireland and on VIX and Fox Sports in the USA. As usual, Football Italia will provide live updates via a live blog.

Bosnia-Herzegovina vs. Italy – probable line-ups

Bosnia and Herzegovina (4-4-2): Vasilj; Dedic, Katic, Muharemovic, Kolasinac; Memic, Sunjic, Tahirovic, Alajbegovic; Demirovic, Dzeko.

Italy (3-5-2): Donnarumma; Mancini, Bastoni, Calafiori; Politano, Barella, Locatelli, Tonali, Dimarco; Kean, Retegui. 

La Gazzetta dello Sport

It means the World

Italy, a dream that has lasted 12 years.

In Zenica, we play in a small stadium again for the World Cup. Tension and cold: Kean-Retegui, but Pio is ready. Dzeko: ‘If you fear Wales, it’s not good.’

Gattuso: ‘No excuses, it’s time to give the country joy.’

Rivera: ‘Failures are forbidden, then visit my Atzeca.’

Corriere dello Sport

Italy anxiety: make or break

Play-off Final (20:45) to return to the World Cup after 12 years.

Gattuso and Gigio: ‘No alibis.’

Everything is at stake in the hell of Zenica. Rino confirms the Kean-Retegui strike partnership. In the American group, Switzerland, Canada and Qatar are waiting.

Napoli’s hard line: Lukaku at a crossroads

Palestra: Inter move to pole position

Roma, Gasp asks for six coups

Juve enjoy the new Koop

From Yildiz di Hojlund: a thrilling night

Tuttosport

A phenomenal push

World Cup play-off at 20:45. Italy against Bosnia. In Zenica, we play all with you!

Sinner, together with Antonelli and Bezzecchi, charges the Azzurri: ‘Give us the World Cup.’ Gattuso: ‘We live for nights like these.’ Dzeko: ‘If you fear Wales…’ The tension increases: the case of a spy.

60m, now Bremer has a price too

Striker: Nunez’s agent at Continassa. Suggestion Lukaku. Bielsa, the Uruguay coach who challenges Algeria at the Stadium tonight: ‘Who wouldn’t want to coach Juve?’

Ramadani emerges in the middle of Toro

Former Milan, Roma and Juventus coach Fabio Capello saw the ‘usual flows’ of Italian football in the Azzurri’s 2-0 win over Northern Ireland, but enjoyed the ‘reaction’ and the contribution of Francesco Pio Esposito.

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Italy are off to Zenica today, on the eve of the World Cup play-off Final against Bosnia and Herzegovina.

The Azzurri trained at Coverciano on Monday morning, before taking a private flight to Bosnia. Later today, coach Gennaro Gattuso and captain Gigio Donnarumma will preview the Final during a pre-match press conference.

The Azzurri beat Northern Ireland 2-0 in Bergamo last week with goals from Sandro Tonali and Moise Kean in the second half.

“Having overcome that obstacle with a shy first half and a second half in which we found ourselves again was psychologically very important,” Capello told Gazzetta.

“It certainly helped the players understand our real value, and I believe that Gattuso, ahead of the match with Bosnia, will also work on this.”

The Azzurri were not let down by a mediocre first-half performance in Bergamo last week and, after the break, created several goal-scoring opportunities, securing a deserved victory.

Capello examined the positives and negatives of the latest Azzurri performance.

“Starting with the negatives, I’d say the usual flaws we often see in Italian football. Sideway passing, slowness, little vertical play and a lack of personality when in possession,” he said.

“As for the positives, the reaction was important, and I also liked the introduction of Pio Esposito, who brought a certain balance. All three attacking options are good, but Retegui and Kean are a bit too similar. Pio, on the other hand, especially in key moments, has that strength and aerial ability that can become fundamental, along with excellent vision.”

Capello: ‘Italy have good defenders, but…’

The Azzurri will likely face a hostile environment, but Capello is more worried about what might happen on the pitch.

“I’m concerned about corner kicks and free kicks, particularly how we’ll defend inside the penalty area,” he said.

“We have very good defenders with the ball at their feet, but they are less suited to marking. Bosnia relies heavily on this, and just on Thursday night, Dzeko managed to get the better of players strong in the air, like those from Wales. We’ll be facing a national team with quality and personality, starting with that 18-year-old who took the last penalty, Alajbegovic.”

Surely, the ex-Italian tactician will follow the match with the same passion he had as a coach: “I suffer for the national team. I suffer too much…I scream,” he said. Just as an ordinary fan.

Nicolò Zaniolo’s  Claudio Vigorelli admits his client hoped for an Italy call-up, but ‘appreciates the transparency and the words of Gennaro Gattuso.’

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Udinese ‘ideal’ for Zaniolo

Zaniolo’s ten-goal contributions for Udinese (five goals and five assists) in 26 Serie A games this season have not been enough to earn a spot in the Azzurri squad for the World Cup play-off.

“We’ve always been convinced that Udine would be an ideal place to help him revive his career,” his agent Vigorelli told Gazzettino del Friuli via TMW.

“The context has granted the utmost stability and tranquillity, and that has been the result of collaboration between director Nanni and President Pozzo on a matter that was not simple. It’s no coincidence that we reached an agreement on the very final day. Nicolò strongly wanted this move, and he was right.”

Italy coach Gattuso has admitted that Zaniolo deserved an Italy call-up, but ultimately chose to rely on the team’s established core.

“It’s useless to deny that he hoped for it [a call-up]; the national team is an objective for all footballers,” concluded Vigorelli.

“We’ve accepted it, but it doesn’t mean he won’t get a call-up sooner or later. We appreciate the transparency and the words of Gattuso; in the future, we’ll see.”

The Azzurri are ready to fly to Bosnia for the World Cup play-off Final, while the two line-ups that Gennaro Gattuso tested during a morning training session have been revealed.

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Italy trained at Coverciano on Monday morning before leaving for Bosnia and Herzegovina, where tomorrow, Tuesday, March 31, they’ll play in the World Cup play-off Final.

The opening 15 minutes of today’s training session were open to the media, and, as reported by TMW, the Azzurri warmed up with a rondo before a test match.

Italy line-ups before World Cup play-off

Gattuso rotated the goalkeepers, and the line-ups at Coverciano were the following:

White team: Scalvini, Bastoni, Calafiori; Cambiaso, Frattesi, Cristante, Tonali, Dimarco; Kean, Retegui.

Yellow team: Mancini, Gatti, Buongiorno; Politano, Barella, Locatelli, Pisilli, Spinazzola; Raspadori, Esposito.

The white team, with Mateo Retegui and Moise Kean in attack, seems the most likely to start, although there should be a few tweaks: Gianluca Mancini in place of Giorgio Scalvini, Matteo Politano for Andrea Cambiaso, Manuel Locatelli for Bryan Cristante, and Nicolò Barella for Davide Frattesi.

According to several sources, in fact, Gattuso seems unwilling to change the XI that beat Northern Ireland in the semis last week.

All the players trained on the pitch today, so Gattuso will have a full squad available for the game against Bosnia on Tuesday.

Yet, the Azzurri boss will name five players who will go to the stands on the morning of the game.

For last week’s semis against Northern Ireland, the likes of Elia Caprile, Diego Coppola, Andrea Cambiaso, Gianluca Scamacca and Nicolò Cambiaghi were not part of the squad list and didn’t even go to the bench.

• Read more – World Cup play-off Final: Italy’s plan on eve of Bosnia clash

According to La Gazzetta dello Sport, Tottenham have issued an ultimatum to Roberto De Zerbi, giving the Italian tactician two days to respond to their offer.

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Tottenham are in a hurry to reach an agreement with De Zerbi, who is available on the market after his contract with Marseille was terminated by mutual agreement in February.

Tottenham in a hurry for agreement with De Zerbi

De Zerbi is Tottenham’s leading target to replace Igor Tudor, who won just one of his seven games in charge, before leaving by mutual consent on Sunday.

Sky Sport’s Gianluca Di Marzio claimed the “next few hours” would be decisive in determining whether De Zerbi accepts Tottenham’s offer, while Gazzetta offers a more precise time frame.

According to the report, Tottenham have given De Zerbi 24-48 hours of time to respond to their offer.

Just a few days ago, the Italian tactician seemed willing to wait until the start of the new season for a new club, but Tottenham’s persistence has made the ex-Sassuolo boss reconsider their offer.

• Read more – Tottenham fans already boycotted Gattuso, but De Zerbi situation differs

Mateo Retegui is the Italy outfield player with the most minutes under Gennaro Gattuso, which helps explain why the coach is not expected to change the Azzurri’s attack in the World Cup play-off Final against Bosnia and Herzegovina.

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Italy will visit Bosnia and Herzegovina in the World Cup play-off Final on Tuesday, March 31.

Retegui a regular Italy starter under Gattuso

Multiple sources in Italy claim that Gattuso won’t change the XI that beat Northern Ireland 2-0 in the semis last week. This means Moise Kean and Mateo Retegui will get the nod up front.

The latter has been criticised for missing a big chance in the second half of the Northern Ireland match, just minutes before Sandro Tonali’s opener.

Francesco Pio Esposito, on the other hand, had a big impact as a substitute, so the Inter talent was expected to challenge Retegui for a starting spot.

As TWM highlights, Gattuso’s trust in Retegui is well-explained by the striker’s stats under the new Italy coach.

Retegui, in fact, is the outfield player with the most minutes played since September, when Gattuso made his debut as La Nazionale’s boss.

Since then, Retegui has played 525 minutes with the Azzurri, twice as many as Kean.

Retegui, a former Atalanta and Genoa star, has scored five goals and provided four assists in seven appearances under Gattuso.

Pio Esposito made his senior Italy debut under Gattuso this past September and has collected six appearances, two as a starter, and scored three goals.

Bologna are reportedly interested in Napoli-owned striker Lorenzo Lucca, who is expected to return to the Stadio Maradona from a six-month loan at Nottingham Forest.

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Bologna target Lucca for 2026-27

Bologna have resumed their interest in Italian striker Lucca, according to Gazzetta.

The Rossoblu already targeted the ex-Udinese striker four years ago, and during the January transfer window.

Back in 2022, Lucca joined Ajax from Pisa despite an offer from the Stadio Dall’Ara, while last January, Forest made the most convincing offer to bring him on loan from Napoli.

According to Gazzetta, Bologna will be listening to offers for Thijs Dallinga next summer, and Lucca is one of the Dutchman’s possible replacements.

Lucca has only scored one goal in seven appearances with Nottingham Forest since his loan move in the January window.

He had managed the same in 23 Napoli games in the first part of the campaign.

According to Gazzetta, Lucca’s future at Nottingham Forest remains uncertain, but previous reports claimed that the Premier League side would not make his move permanent at the end of the season.

Italian sources claim that exams confirmed a muscle-tendon injury for Roma defender Wesley, who will be sidelined for one month.

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Roma will be forced to cope without their versatile wing-back Wesley for the next four weeks.

Roma star Wesley sidelined for a month after Brazil injury

The Brazilian was released early from international duty last week due to an injury.

According to Italian sources, including Sky Sport Italia and Rome-based ReteSport, exams conducted in Rome this morning have confirmed a muscle-tendon lesion that will sideline the Brazilian for four weeks.

Wesley is in his first season at the Stadio Olimpico, but has quickly become a key player for Gian Piero Gasperini, scoring four goals and providing two assists in 35 appearances across all competitions.

Roma are fighting for a Champions League spot and are currently level on 54 points with Juventus, three behind fourth-placed Como.

After the break, Roma will visit table leaders Inter at the Stadio Meazza in Milan, but over the next month, they’ll also play against Atalanta, Bologna, Fiorentina and Pisa.

Sky Sport Italia reports that Roberto De Zerbi is open to taking the Tottenham job immediately following Igor Tudor’s departure, but some Spurs fans have already voiced their discontent at the Italian’s possible appointment.

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De Zerbi to Tottenham: latest updates

Former Sassuolo and Brighton coach De Zerbi is open to discussing a possible appointment with Tottenham to replace Igor Tudor.

The Croatian left the club by mutual consent on Sunday, and the North Londoners have made De Zerbi their primary target.

Tudor won just one of his seven games in charge at Tottenham, drawing once and losing five times.

Spurs are currently fighting for survival, being just one point above the drop zone in the Premier League.

According to Sky Sport Italia transfer expert Di Marzio, De Zerbi is open to talks with Tottenham, who have outlined their long-term project to the Italian coach, including top-level signings, provided they remain in the Premier League.

Di Marzio claims that the “next few hours will be decisive” to learn whether De Zerbi will accept the Tottenham offer.

De Zerbi’s possible appointment, however, has upset some Tottenham fans, who have urged the club to reconsider his hiring.

This was due to De Zerbi’s public defence of Mason Greenwood, whom he coached at Marseille from July 2024 until last February, when De Zerbi left the French club by mutual consent.

Tottenham fan groups, including Proud Lilywhites, Women of the Lane, and Spurs Reach, argued that De Zerbi minimised the severity of male violence, going against the club’s values.

Sport.es reports that Barcelona are determined to retain Robert Lewandowski, a target for Juventus and Milan, for one season and will offer the Poland international a new contract.

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Barcelona ready to send contract offer to Lewandowski

Barcelona are set to offer their striker Lewandowski a new contract until 2027, according to Sport.es.

The 37-year-old’s current deal at the Camp Nou expires at the end of the season and the Spanish newspaper confirms he has attracted interest from Juventus and Milan in Serie A.

Reports from Italy last week claimed that Juventus had sent one of their representatives to watch the experienced centre-forward during the March break with the Poland national team.

Juventus are currently in talks to extend the contract of Dusan Vlahovic, but the Bianconeri will be looking for a new centre-forward regardless of the Serbian’s stay.

Milan signed Niclas Fullkrug on loan with an option to buy from West Ham in January, but are unsure on whether to make his move permanent at the end of the season. Yet again, the Rossoneri are expected to chase a new centre-forward for 2026-27.

According to Sport.es, Lewandowski is still uncertain about his future at Barcelona and has taken time to consider his options.

The striker’s representative has an excellent relationship with Barcelona, and so has Lewandowski.

Juventus and Milan aren’t the only clubs interested, as Lewandowski has also been targeted by Turkish clubs and Chicago Fire in the MLS, while the Barcelona star seems uninterested in a move to the Saudi Pro League.

According to Opta, Como are favourites to qualify for the Champions League this season, ahead of Juventus and Roma, with a 60.87% chance of finishing in the top four.

Como sit fourth in the Serie A table with eight games remaining and are also the favourite to earn a Champions League spot, according to Opta.

The Opta algorithm confirms the scenario outlined by statistics and the betting calculator website, Winsports Online.

According to Opta, via Tuttosport, Cesc Fabregas’ side has a 60.87% chance of qualifying for the Champions League this season, against Juventus’ 24.48% and Roma’s 17.15%.

Bianconeri and Giallorossi are both three points below Como in the Serie A table.

Tension is running high at Roma, where Gian Piero Gasperini’s future seems uncertain, mostly due to disagreements with the club director, Frederic Massara.

Gasperini did not talk to the media after a 1-0 win over Lecce before the March international break. Officially, Gasp remained silent because he had lost his voice during the match, but according to Gazzetta and other Italian media outlets, the Giallorossi boss was in no mood to face reporters’ questions.

Juventus seem to have improved their playing style and appear to have a clearer identity under Luciano Spalletti, yet the Bianconeri are still struggling for consistency, as shown by a recent 1-1 home draw against Sassuolo.

Fabregas’ Como, on the other hand, have won each of their last five league games and have a decent fixture list ahead with a home game against Inter and an away match at Napoli emerging as the most difficult encounters in the final stretch of the campaign.

Opta has also made predictions for the title race, identifying a clear favourite for the Scudetto.

Inter have an 89.48% chance of lifting the title, compared to Milan’s 6.16% and Napoli’s 4.19%.

Cristian Chivu was suspended for a 1-1 draw against Fiorentina last week, so his assistant, Aleksandar Kolarov, led the team from the touchline and spoke to the media after the match.

“It wasn’t our best game and we are not in our best period of the season, but we are still six points clear at the top of the table, so it is all in our hands,” said the former defender.

“We are lacking some determination and perhaps sharpness too, as fatigue is accumulated over the many games. It is not our best spell of the season, we are used to seeing Inter dominate matches, but we are still six points clear and it is up to us to kill off the title race.”

Inter have collected only two points in their last three Serie A matches, but still have a six-point lead over second-placed Milan and seven points more than Napoli.

Rossoneri and Partenopei will meet at the Stadio Maradona after the March break.

Former Milan and Fiorentina midfielder Cristian Brocchi is happy with the attitude Italian players showed against Northern Ireland and feels the Azzurri won’t need ‘Baggio or Del Piero’ to qualify for the World Cup, regardless of a fiery atmosphere in Bosnia.

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Brocchi enjoyed Italy’s attitude in World Cup play-off semifinal

Italy will fly to Bosnia today on the eve of the World Cup play-off Final against Edin Dzeko’s Bosnia and Herzegovina.

Brocchi, a two-time Champions League winner with Milan and a former teammate of Gennaro Gattuso, spoke about the upcoming Final in an interview with Sport Mediaset.

“I liked the personalities of the key players. They proved to be aware of the importance of the game. Hopefully, they can have the same attitude [in the Final],” he said via TMW.

“I think Gattuso has hit the right spots. I liked the press conference where he established the core values that became the foundations of success throughout our careers. Italy no longer has Baggio or Del Piero, but they have strong players for this match.”

The Azzurri expect a hostile reception in Zenica, even if FIFA cut the stadium’s capacity by 20% following incidents in Bosnia’s most recent home game in November 2025.

“Everywhere’s the same. Everywhere you go, you find passionate fans,” Brocchi concluded.

“There’s everything at stake for both them and us. In Bergamo, we had an added value: the home fans. Now we must endure difficulties.”

The Italy national team will train at Coverciano this morning and fly from Florence to Bosnia in the afternoon, before Gennaro Gattuso’s pre-match press conference.

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Italy are preparing for a massive World Cup play-off Final against Bosnia and Herzegovina, to be played at the Bilino Polje Stadium in Zenica on Tuesday, March 31.

Italy’s plan on the eve of the World Cup play-off Final

As reported by Gazzetta, the Azzurri have slightly changed their plans on the eve of the game, as they’ll fly to Bosnia later than expected due to bad weather there.

Azzurri CT Gennaro Gattuso has decided to let his players train in Coverciano rather than on the heavy pitch at the Bilino Polje Stadium today.

Italy will train at their training centre on Monday morning, before leaving for Bosnia with a private flight at 16:30 CET (15:30 BST). The Nazionale is expected to arrive in Zenica at around 19:00 CET.

Once Gattuso and the players arrive at the venue for tomorrow’s match, they’ll undergo a pitch inspection, while the coach and captain, Gigio Donnarumma, will preview the Final at a pre-match press conference.

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