Gennaro Gattuso had all but one of his Italy national team players available for training on the eve of the crucial World Cup play-off semi-final against Northern Ireland in Bergamo according to the latest updates, and Alessandro Bastoni was spotted working with the group.
Latest updates from Italy’s on-pitch training session
Italy will host Northern Ireland at Atalanta’s New Balance Arena on Thursday evening, and the winner of that tie will go on to face either Wales or Bosnia and Herzegovina away from home on March 31: A one-legged decider for a spot at the final tournament.
MILAN – NOVEMBER 16: Players of Italy pose for a team photograph prior to the FIFA World Cup 2026 qualifier match between Italy and Norway at San Siro Stadium on November 16, 2025 in San Siro. (Photo by Marco Luzzani/Getty Images)
Gattuso initially announced a squad of 28 players, but has already had to make an alteration following the withdrawal of Liverpool’s Federico Chiesa earlier this week. Bologna’s Nicolo Cambiaghi has been called in to replace him.
There have been doubts surrounding the availability of Inter centre-back Bastoni heading into the Northern Ireland game, given that he has not featured since picking up an ankle injury in the Derby della Madonnina against Milan earlier in March.
Bastoni was still running individually while the rest of his Italy teammates trained earlier this week, but according to the latest updates, the Nerazzurri defender was part of the group that trained went out to train on the New Balance Arena pitch on Wednesday evening, the night before the Northern Ireland game.
It still remains to be seen whether he will be thrown immediately into the starting line-up against Northern Ireland on Thursday.
In fact, according to TMW, only one Italy player was not part of the group that trained on the pitch in Bergamo on Wednesday. Atalanta striker reportedly Gianluca Scamacca worked individually just before Gennaro Gattuso conducted his pre-match press conference.
Italy are in action on Thursday evening, hosting Northern Ireland in Bergamo for the crucial World Cup play-off semi-final. 21 of the 28 players called up to Gennaro Gattuso’s squad are currently based in Serie A.
Croatia is the next-best represented nation in Serie A in terms of international call-ups with eight. Belgium, Scotland, Serbia, Norway and the Netherlands all have five Serie A players in their current squads, while France, Denmark, Albania, Switzerland and Turkiye have four each.
Atalanta and Juventus are the best represented Serie A sides with 14 senior internationals each in March, which is more than Inter and Napoli with 12 apiece and the 10 each from Milan and Torino.
All 20 Serie A sides have at least two senior players taking part in the March international break. Parma are the least-well represented with two senior call-ups. Cremonese, Fiorentina, Pisa and Udinese have three each.
All Serie A players involved in March internationals
Atalanta: Berat Djimsiti (Albania), Charles De Ketelaere (Belgium), Sead Kolasinac (Bosnia), Mario Pasalic (Croatia), Kamaldeen Sulemana (Ghana), Marco Carnesecchi (Italy), Giorgio Scalvini (Italy), Gianluca Scamacca (Italy), Odilon Kossounou (Ivory Coast), Nikola Krstovic (Montenegro), Nicola Zalewski (Poland), Lazar Samardzic (Serbia), Isak Hien (Sweden).
Bologna: Jhon Lucumi (Colombia), Nikola Moro (Croatia), Nicolo Cambiaghi (Italy), Torbjorn Heggem (Norway), Martin Vitik (Czechia), Lewis Ferguson (Scotland), Remo Freuler (Switzerland).
Cagliari: Ibrahim Sulemana (Ghana), Elia Caprile (Italy), Marco Palestra (Italy), Adam Obert (Slovakia), Semih Kilicsoy (Turkiye), Joseph Liteta (Zambia).
Como: Nico Paz (Argentina), Maximo Perrone (Argentina), Martin Baturina (Croatia), Ivan Smolcic (Croatia), Tasos Douvikas (Greece), Megrim Vojvoda (Kosovo), Assane Diao (Senegal), Noel Tornqvist (Sweden).
Cremonese: Emil Audero (Indonesia), Morten Thorsby (Norway), Antonio Sanabria (Paraguay).
Fiorentina: Marin Pongracic (Croatia), Moise Kean (Italy), Luis Balbo (Venezuela).
Genoa: Mikael Ellertsson (Iceland), Johan Vasquez (Mexico), Leo Ostigard (Norway), Justin Bijlow (Netherlands), Ruslan Malinovskyi (Ukraine).
CHARLOTTE, NORTH CAROLINA – JUNE 30: Alessandro Bastoni #95 and Nicolo Barella #23 of FC Internazionale Milano warm up prior to the FIFA Club World Cup 2025 round of 16 match between FC Internazionale Milano and Fluminense FC at Bank of America Stadium on June 30, 2025 in Charlotte, North Carolina. (Photo by Michael Reaves/Getty Images)
Inter: Petar Sucic (Croatia), Marcus Thuram (France), Nicolo Barella (Italy), Alessandro Bastoni (Italy), Federico Dimarco (Italy), Pio Esposito (Italy), Davide Frattesi (Inter), Stefan de Vrij (Netherlands), Denzel Dumfries (Netherlands), Piotr Zielinski (Poland), Manuel Akanji (Switzerland), Hakan Calhanoglu (Turkiye).
Juventus: Lois Openda (Belgium), Bremer (Brazil), Jonathan David (Canada), Juan Cabal (Colombia), Pierre Kalulu (France), Andrea Cambiaso (Italy), Federico Gatti (Italy), Manuel Locatelli (Italy), Edon Zhegrova (Kosovo), Teun Koopmeiners (Netherlands), Francisco Conceicao (Portugal), Filip Kostic (Serbia), Kenan Yildiz (Turkiye), Weston McKennie (USA).
TURIN, ITALY – MARCH 07: Andrea Cambiaso of Juventus celebrates his goal with his team-mates during the Serie A match between Juventus FC and Pisa SC at Juventus Stadium on March 07, 2026 in Turin, Italy. (Photo by Giuseppe Cottini/Getty Images)
Lazio Elseid Hysaj (Albania), Gustav Isaksen (Denmark), Oliver Provstgaard (Denmark), Adam Marusic (Montenegro), Fisayo Dele-Bashiru (Nigeria), Petar Ratkov (Serbia), Boulaye Dia (Senegal).
Milan: Koni De Winter (Belgium), Alexis Saelemaekers (Belgium), Luka Modric (Croatia), Pervis Estupinan (Ecuador), Fikayo Tomori (England), Mike Maignan (France), Adrien Rabiot (France), Strahinja Pavlovic (Serbia), Adron Jashari (Switzerland), Christian Pulisic (USA).
MILAN, ITALY – DECEMBER 28: Christian Pulisic of AC Milan celebrates after scoring their team’s first goal during the Serie A match between AC Milan and Hellas Verona FC at Giuseppe Meazza Stadium on December 28, 2025 in Milan, Italy. (Photo by Marco Luzzani/Getty Images)
Napoli: Kevin De Bruyne (Belgium), Rasmus Hojlund (Denmark), Alessandro Buongiorno (Italy), Alex Meret (Italy), Matteo Politano (Italy), Leonardo Spinazzola (Italy), Eljif Elmas (North Macedonia), Billy Gilmour (Scotland), Scott McTominay (Scotland), Vanja Milinkovic-Savic (Serbia), Stanislav Lobotka (Slovakia), Mathias Olivera (Uruguay).
Parma: Alessandro Circati (Australia), Zion Suzuki (Japan).
Pisa: Rosen Bozhinov (Bulgaria), Felipe Loyola (Chile), Michel Aebischer (Switzerland).
NAPLES, ITALY – FEBRUARY 15: Donyell Malen of AS Roma celebrates after scoring his side first goal during the Serie A match between SSC Napoli and AS Roma at Stadio Diego Armando Maradona on February 15, 2026 in Naples, Italy. (Photo by Francesco Pecoraro/Getty Images)
Sassuolo: Tarik Muharemovic (Bosnia and Herzegovina), Ismael Kone (Canada), Jay Idzes (Indonesia), Arijanet Muric (Kosovo), Woyo Coulibaly (Mali), Kristian Thorstvedt (Norway), Giacomo Benvenuti (San Marino).
Torino: Ardian Ismajli (Albania), Guillermo Maripan (Chile), Nikola Valsi (Croatia), Saul Coco (Equitorial Guinea), Gvidas Gineitis (Lithuania), Sergiu Perciun (Moldova), Daniel Tonica (Moldova), Marcus Pedersen (Norway), Che Adams (Scotland).
Udinese: Lennon Miller (Scotland), Jesper Karlstrom (Sweden), Maduka Okoye (Nigeria).
Verona: Rafik Belghali (Algeria), Victor Nelsson (Denmark), Andrias Edmundsson (Faroe Islands), Moatasem Al-Musrati (Libya), Tomas Suslov (Slovakia).
Italy remain the clear favourites against Northern Ireland ahead of Thursday’s crucial World Cup play-off semi-final in Bergamo, and the current market value of the respective national sides shows exactly why Gennaro Gattuso and his team have no excuses against the Green and White Army.
Italy will host Northern Ireland at Atalanta’s New Balance Arena at 19.45 GMT on Thursday evening, and the winner of that tie will go on to face either Wales or Bosnia and Herzegovina away from home on Tuesday, March 31, in the play-off final. This will be a one-legged decider for a spot at the final tournament.
Should Italy fail to win both of these two matches, they will miss out on World Cup qualification for the third tournament cycle in a row. The Azzurri have not qualified since 2014 and have not won a knock-out match at the World Cup since beating France in the final to claim the trophy in 2006.
Italy vs. Northern Ireland: Squad value comparison
According to the latest information from transfermarkt.co.uk, the current Italy squad has a market value of €746.5m, compared to Northern Ireland’s €100.15m.
The Italy squad boasts Sandro Tonali as its current most valuable player at €80m, while for Northern Ireland, that player is Trai Hume at €22m, closely followed by Sunderland teammate Dan Ballard at €20m. Liverpool’s Conor Bradley is valued higher at €30m, but is currently nursing a serious knee injury and will not feature against Italy.
Hume and Ballard are the only two players in the Northern Ireland squad that are currently valued above the €20m mark, while Italy have 18 players worth €20m or higher.
Sandro Tonali in action against Moldova during the 2026 World Cup qualifier (@azzurri)
The Azzurri players worth in excess of €20m are: Gianluigi Donnarumma, Marco Carnesecchi, Alessandro Bastoni, Alessandro Buongiorno, Giorgio Scalvini, Federico Dimarco, Riccardo Calafiori, Andrea Cambiaso, Marco Palestra, Tonali, Manuel Locatelli, Nicolo Barella, Niccolo Pisilli, Giacomo Raspadori, Pio Esposito, Moise Kean, Mateo Retegui and Gianluca Scamacca.
The ‘least’ valuable Italy player is 33-year-old Napoli wing-back Leonardo Spinazzola, who is out of contract at the end of the 2025-26 campaign and is currently valued at €3.5m. That would be enough for him to rank as the fifth-most valuable player in the Northern Ireland squad.
FLORENCE – JUNE 14: Leonardo Spinazzola warms up during an Italy Training Session during the UEFA Nations League 2022/23 at Centro Tecnico di Coverciano on June 14, 2023 in Florence. (Photo by Claudio Villa/Getty Images)
Gattuso’s starting XI is likely to feature Donnarumma, Bastoni, Calafiori, Dimarco, Tonali and Barella and is worth around €473m while Northern Ireland’s expected starting line-up is worth a reported €44.7m.
The international break has allowed Roma to recover one of their biggest stars, as Matias Soule is now back in training with the Giallorossi group that has remained in the capital this week.
Soule nearing Roma comeback and targeting Inter on April 5
The Argentine appeared in all of Roma’s first 25 Serie A matches of the 2025-26 season and lined up as a starter in 21 of those matches, but has not featured for the Giallorossi since their 2-2 draw against Napoli on February 15.
Soule has been struggling with a pubalgia issue, otherwise known as a sports hernia. This has caused him to miss out on the last five Serie A matches and both legs of Roma’s Europa League round of 16 tie against Bologna, which ended in elimination for the Giallorossi.
According to the latest updates from La Gazzetta dello Sport, Soule returned to training with the reduced Roma group on Tuesday, while the rest of his teammates continued their work with their respective national teams.
The Pink Paper warns that the hernia issue has not completely healed, but Soule’s return to training is certainly an encouraging step in the right direction.
As things stand, Soule is targeting a return to action in time for Roma’s first match after the international break, which falls away against Inter in San Siro on April 5.
ROME, ITALY – JANUARY 10: Matias Soule of AS Roma celebrates after scoring the team’s second goal during the Serie A match between AS Roma and US Sassuolo Calcio at Stadio Olimpico on January 10, 2026 in Rome, Italy. (Photo by Paolo Bruno/Getty Images)
Paulo Dybala, meanwhile, is still a while away from a return to Serie A action. He is expected to require another month or so of recovery, but is hoping to be back with the squad in time for the final five or six matches of the 2025-26 season.
Reports in Italy claim that Inter are stepping up in their pursuit of Roma midfielder Manu Kone and that the Nerazzurri are prepared to make the Frenchman the club’s most expensive signing in six years.
How much do Inter need to convince Roma into selling Kone?
Inter have held an interest in Kone since the last summer transfer window, and recent updates claim that Cristian Chivu’s side are poised to make another approach for the 24-year-old once the 2025-26 season comes to an end.
Naturally, Inter’s current focus is getting the Scudetto over the line, but once the season comes to an end, the club’s attention will turn to the acquisition of Kone, reports La Gazzetta dello Sport. “Not a midfielder ‘like’ Kone, but the Frenchman himself,” the Pink Paper writes.
ROME, ITALY – DECEMBER 29: Manu Kone of AS Roma celebrates after scoring the team’s second goal during the Serie A match between AS Roma and Genoa CFC at Stadio Olimpico on December 29, 2025 in Rome, Italy. (Photo by Paolo Bruno/Getty Images)
According to La Gazzetta dello Sport, Inter are prepared to invest in excess of €40m to land Kone from Roma, although the Giallorossi may need a figure close to the €50m mark in order to let the former Toulouse and Borussia Monchengladbach man go.
Inter have not invested these sorts of figures on a single signing since the summer of 2020, when they spent a reported €43m on the signing of future Scudetto winner and current Paris Saint-Germain star Achraf Hakimi.
One of the biggest concerns for the Nerazzurri is the upcoming 2026 World Cup. If Kone were to have an impressive tournament with the France squad, there is a chance that Roma’s asking price could skyrocket. There are also interested parties elsewhere, including Ligue 1 giants PSG according to Wednesday’s update.
Tensions are hotting up ahead of the World Cup play-offs, as Italy’s potential final opponents, Wales and Bosnia and Herzegovina, continue to clash over an incident involving Brondby head coach Steeve Cooper and midfielder Benjamin Tahirovic.
Why are Italy’s potential play-off opponents, Wales and Bosnia, arguing?
Italy are due to host Northern Ireland in Bergamo for the World Cup play-off semi-final on Thursday evening. The winner of that tie will go on to face either Wales or Bosnia away from home in the play-off final, which will be a one-legged decider for a spot at the final tournament.
MILAN, ITALY – NOVEMBER 16: Players of Italy pose for a team photograph prior to the FIFA World Cup 2026 qualifier match between Italy and Norway at San Siro Stadium on November 16, 2025 in Milan, Italy. (Photo by Marco Luzzani/Getty Images)
While the final preparations are being put in place ahead of Thursday’s semi-finals, the Bosnian federation have raised an issue with Brondby’s Welsh head coach, Cooper, who has been accused of intentionally dropping one of his own midfielders, Tahirovic, in order to throw him off his rhythm ahead of the Wales vs. Bosnia meeting in Cardiff.
Tahirovic was a starter for Brondby for most of the first half of the 2025-26 campaign, but has only collected 13 minutes of action over his side’s last four matches approaching the play-offs.
Bosnia head coach Sergej Barbarez has thrown fuel onto the fire with his depiction of the situations: “Tahirovic has told me things that border on the unbelievable, relating to the nationality of his coach” he said (via TMW).
“He wished him good luck for everything, but not for the national team. He was told that everything would go back to normal after the break.”
Brondby’s press officer Soren Hanghoj has since clarified that Tahirovic was dropped on disciplinary reasons, and that the decision to take action against him was made by the club and not solely by the head coach, Cooper.
According to TMW, Tahirovic himself has been in contact with Cooper and has explained that his statements have been ‘misunderstood’.
Niccolo Pisilli says that Sandro Tonali and Nicolo Barella are among the Italy national team players that he used to study growing up, and says that it will be a ‘great opportunity’ to learn from the Newcastle and Inter stars during the international break.
Pisilli on Italy hopes and Roma opportunities: ‘We’re a very strong group’
Pisilli made his debut for the Italy national team under Luciano Spalletti in October 2014, but has had to wait 18 months, and is still waiting for his next opportunity in an Azzurri shirt.
Niccolo Pisilli Luciano Spalletti Italy (Photo by Emmanuele Ciancaglini/Getty Images)
After an increased series of opportunities with Roma in 2025-26, the 21-year-old is back in the Italy squad for the crucial World Cup play-off campaign this international break, beginning with the play-off semi-final against Northern Ireland in Bergamo on Thursday night.
It has been 12 years since Italy last featured at a World Cup. The Azzurri have failed to qualify for the last two tournament cycles and have not won a knock-out match on the world stage since beating France in the final to claim the trophy in 2006.
Pisilli was just 10 years old the last time that Italy appeared at a World Cup.
“I remember the World Cups I watched in 2010 and 2014. It’s a great feeling of pride to return to the national team,” the Roma youngster told Rai Sport in a recent interview.
Pisilli insists that Italy have what it takes to win their next two matches and qualify for the 2026 World Cup: “We’re a very strong group. Everyone here is really strong, otherwise they wouldn’t be here,” he said.
“There has to be a balance. We need the calmness of a squad that knows that with 100% commitment, they can achieve the goal, but also with the awareness that something really important is at stake.”
Pisilli feels that he still has plenty to learn from some of Italy’s more established senior players, though.
“I think of Barella, Tonali when he exploded with Milan, I always watched them on TV. It’s a great opportunity for me to be able to learn from them now.”
BUDAPEST, HUNGARY – SEPTEMBER 08: Sandro Tonali of Italy looks on during a Italy training session at Bozsik Stadion on September 08, 2024 in Budapest, Hungary. (Photo by Claudio Villa/Getty Images)
Pisilli was asked what has changed in order for him to start earning more opportunities at club level with Roma.
“Nothing really,” he insisted. “I think that it takes a little while to understand the new ideas that a new coach brings when there’s been a change. It’s important to be ready for when you’re called upon during the season. I’m happy to be getting more minutes and I hope it carries on.”
Who will be the referee for Italy vs. Northern Ireland?
Italy will host Northern Ireland in Bergamo for the World Cup play-off semi-final on Thursday evening, and the winner of that tie will go on to face either Wales or Bosnia and Herzegovina away from home on Tuesday, March 31, for a spot at the final tournament.
Makkelie will be the man with the whistle when Italy host Northern Ireland at the New Balance Arena. He will be joined by Dutch assistants Hessel Steegstra and Jan De Vries and Spanish fourth official Jesus Gil Manzano. Pol van Boekel and Jeroen Manschot, both of the Netherlands, will be the VAR and assistant VAR respectively.
Makkelie has refereed four previous matches involving the Azzurri, the most recent coming at EURO 2024 when Italy dramatically drew 1-1 with Croatia in their final match in Group B.
LEIPZIG, GERMANY – JUNE 24: Jorginho reacts as Referee Danny Makkelie gestures to indicate a VAR review after a potential penalty incident as of Davide Frattesi is adjudged to have committed handball during the UEFA EURO 2024 group stage match against Croatia at Football Stadium Leipzig on June 24, 2024 in Leipzig, Germany. (Photo by Dan Mullan/Getty Images)
His biggest call in that game was to award a penalty against Italy for a Davide Frattesi handball, although Gianluigi Donnarumma managed to keep out Luka Modric’s spot-kick.
Makkelie also took charge of Italy’s 3-0 group stage win over Turkiye at EURO 2020, a 0-0 draw against Portugal in the 2018-19 Nations League and a 3-2 victory over North Macedonia in 2018 World Cup qualifying.
Gian Piero Gasperini’s long-term future as the head coach of Roma is not guaranteed, but reports from La Gazzetta dello Sport indicate that the former Atalanta tactician will wait until the end of the 2025-26 season before making any major career decisions.
Why is there tension among the Roma senior management?
According to recent reports in Italy, there has been growing tension in Giallorossi circles over the last few weeks, particularly after Roma’s exit from the Europa League round of 16 at the hands of Serie A opponents Bologna, who are currently 12 points below them in the league table.
These reports claim that there was a confrontation between co-owner Ryan Friedkin, director Frederic Massara and advisor Claudio Ranieri after the Europa League exit at the end of last week, and some sources claim that one of Massara, Ranieri or head coach Gasperini could potentially leave the club at the end of the season.
According to Tuesday’s updates from La Gazzetta dello Sport, there are conflicting views among the senior Roma management as to how the 2025-26 season has gone.
As far as Gasperini is concerned, he feels as though he has done a good job with the resources available and injuries to key players such as Paulo Dybala, Matias Soule, Artem Dovbyk, Evan Ferguson and most recently Manu Kone.
According to La Gazzetta dello Sport, Gasperini didn’t get the signings he wanted in either the summer or January transfer window, though, and feels that this only made life more difficult.
Official: Evan Ferguson joins Roma on loan with an option to buy from Premier League side Brighton and Hove Albion (picture via www.asroma.com)
The club, however, feel that they have ‘taken the right steps’ to put the coach in a position to finish in the Serie A top four and claim a place in next season’s Champions League despite their financial fair play restrictions.
An example is the signing of Robinio Vaz from Marseille in January, who seems a decent prospect and not a terrible investment at €20m, but Gasperini would have preferred a more proven, established option at centre-forward to help the club in the absence of Dovbyk and Ferguson.
Where Roma and Gasperini currently stand
According to Tuesday’s updates from La Gazzetta dello Sport, the members of the Roma squad that have not jetted off on international duty will resume training on Tuesday, and it is possible that there will be a discussion between Gasperini, Ranieri and Massara at some stage of the day.
For now, the feeling is that all parties must come together and work as hard as possible until the end of the 2025-26 season as Roma fight for a spot in the Serie A top four.
COMO, ITALY – MARCH 15: Gianluca Mancini of AS Roma competes for the ball with Sergi Robertoof Como 1907 during the Serie A match between Como 1907 and AS Roma at Giuseppe Sinigaglia Stadium on March 15, 2026 in Como, Italy. (Photo by Marco Luzzani/Getty Images)
As things stand, the Giallorossi have 54 points from 30 matches, which is the club’s second-best return in eight years at this stage of the season. Only Jose Mourinho in his second season at the Stadio Olimpico had more (56).
Roma’s current tally of 54 points is only good enough for sixth place at the moment, though. They remain level on points with Juventus in fifth and three points behind the in-form Como in fourth.
As for Gasperini, La Gazzetta dello Sport reports that assessments will be made at the end of the 2025-26 season, but nothing is ruled out either way at this stage.
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