Wales and Bosnia mock Gattuso’s Italy: "Not what they used to be" | OneFootball

Gennaro Gattuso's Italy must first overcome Northern Ireland in the playoff semifinal. Only then can they look to the final hurdle towards the 2026 World Cup, to be faced away between Sarajevo and Cardiff.

Wales and Bosnia taunt Gattuso's Italy: "They're not what they used to be"

But while the Azzurri focus on the match on March 26, in Bosnia and Wales, the decisive confrontation is already at the center of public debate, almost as if the Italians' passage is taken for granted. This attitude adds further pressure on a national team already coming off difficult years and under international scrutiny.

Bosnia, between caution and jabs: the words of Dzeko and Barbarez

In Bosnia, the reaction to the draw was twofold: officially cautious, but with messages suggesting great confidence. The captain Edin Dzeko, still bitter about the draw with Austria that prevented direct qualification, had expressed himself a few days earlier speaking of "playoff nausea," while assuring that the group will do everything possible to secure a place in America. After the draw, the forward only posted a motivational photo, without polemical comments but with a clear objective: to reach the final and play it in front of the Sarajevo crowd.

Much more direct was the coach Sergej Barbarez, who summed up his expectations in a phrase destined to spark discussion: "The only thing I wanted was the final at home." A wish that the board will grant him, should Bosnia overcome their turn. This too is a signal: Bosnia already imagines a decisive duel without considering the possibility of Italy's elimination, fueling an underlying narrative that has been circulating in the Balkan media for days.

Wales, ruthless analysis: "Italy in decline, desperate after missing the World Cups"

If in Sarajevo clarity prevails mixed with a touch of confidence, from Cardiff come the harshest jabs towards Gattuso's national team. The BBC gathered several opinions from former players and analysts, and the common thread is surprisingly clear: Italy is described as a team with intact prestige but in the midst of a technical and psychological crisis.

According to the British broadcaster, many observers consider the Azzurri "a national team that is no longer what it used to be," citing the heavy 4-1 defeat against Norway in Milan as a symbol of recent decline. Former defender Danny Gabbidon added: "Italy will do everything not to miss the third World Cup in a row," a phrase that, on one hand, acknowledges the determination of Gattuso's men, but on the other, highlights the permanent emergency condition accompanying the group.

Even more cutting was former midfielder Joe Ledley, convinced that the Cardiff City Stadium could be a decisive factor: "Playing the final at home would be a huge advantage, whether against Northern Ireland or Italy. The Azzurri are no longer the team they once were. Two home games in a playoff like this, we certainly can't complain."

Finally, Welsh champion Nia Jones evoked the past as a warning for the Italians: "The idea of a Wales-Italy challenge brings back the magical night of 2002, with Bellamy decisive. Italy has already missed two World Cups: that desperation makes them dangerous, but it's a team I'd prefer to avoid."

A statement that highlights a concept widespread in the British media: the Azzurri are perceived as vulnerable but at the same time unpredictable, an opponent from which it is difficult to feel truly safe.

An Italy under examination: external perception and internal reality

The echo of statements from Bosnia and Wales offers a clear picture of the current international consideration: respect, yes, but also the feeling that Italy can no longer impose itself as a European power. The phrases about a "desperate" national team or "not what it used to be" are not just provocations: they reflect the difficulties of recent years, the missed qualifications, the need to rebuild a technical identity.

At the same time, these criticisms could turn into further incentive for Gattuso's team, called to disprove hasty judgments and overturn a narrative that paints it as fragile and inconsistent.

One certainty is there: the playoff will be a credibility test, and not just a technical obstacle. Italy must first think about Northern Ireland, but the international climate makes it clear that any misstep would have deep consequences, both on and off the field.

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