Gattuso studies Super Cup: planning for World Cup play-offs | OneFootball

The head coach of the Italian National team, Rino Gattuso, is carefully planning the approach to the World Cup playoffs in March 2026, focusing on direct observation and detailed analysis of the players.

Italy, Gattuso observes the Italian Super Cup: strategy and preparation towards the World Cup Playoffs

Last Monday in Coverciano, Gattuso and his assistant Luigi Riccio convened the network of federal scouts to discuss the form of the Azzurri engaged both in Serie A and abroad. As reported by Corriere dello Sport, the coach has already identified about fifteen matches to personally monitor until mid-January, selecting the games he considers most indicative for evaluating the players' technical characteristics, physical condition, and mental reliability.

Italian Super Cup in Saudi Arabia: a testing ground for the Azzurri

Before the Christmas break, Gattuso will travel abroad to follow the Italian Super Cup in Riyadh, an event broadcast exclusively by Mediaset.

The semifinals will feature:

December 18: Napoli-Milan

December 19: Bologna-Inter

The final is scheduled for December 22.

According to federal sources, the goal of the trip is twofold: to closely observe the Azzurri engaged in international competitions and to directly interact with club managers and coaches for updates on the players' physical and tactical conditions.

Gattuso explained to Mediaset: “I will closely follow all the matches because every detail can make a difference in view of the March playoffs. It is crucial to understand how the players react in high-intensity contexts and under significant pressure.”

Training camp in Coverciano: targeted preparation for the playoffs

To ensure a smooth start to the playoffs without organizational delays, the president of FIGC, Gabriele Gravina, has urged Serie A to plan a training camp in Coverciano in the first half of February. The idea is to prevent the National team from taking the field just days before the start of the crucial qualification phase, allowing Gattuso to focus on tactics, team cohesion, and player integration.

In this context, the Italian Super Cup represents more than just a competition: it becomes a laboratory for observation and a testing ground to assess the physical and mental condition of the Azzurri in view of the World Cup race.

This article was translated into English by Artificial Intelligence. You can read the original version in 🇮🇹 here.