World Cup worry: why a Premier League star pulls out | OneFootball

"The decision not to join the team was his," these words from national coach Gennaro Gattuso caused a stir. The coach had just announced at the press conference that he would have to do without Federico Chiesa.

"I often speak with him. One must respect the decisions and individual problems that each of us has. I have to respect what he tells me. I can't reveal more," added Italy's national coach. Since the European Championship in Germany, about 16 months ago, the Liverpool star has not played a game for the Italian national team.

Now Italy is worried about qualifying for the World Cup next year. So why did the Liverpool star decide against the crucial qualifying matches? One thing is clear: there are no tensions with Gattuso, according to reports from Italy.

The Real Reason for Chiesa's Absence

During the international break in October, Gattuso had already refrained from nominating Chiesa and explained it as follows: "I am in contact with Federico about every fourteen days. He told me that he doesn't feel at one hundred percent yet, and I have to respect that. He will only play for the national team again when he is back in top form."

Since this statement, Chiesa has played 191 minutes for Liverpool across competitions, including 90 minutes in the cup exit against Crystal Palace in the EFL Cup. But even though he has had little playing time since the start of the season, he has proven how valuable he can be as a substitute. In a total of 344 minutes, he scored two goals and provided three assists across competitions.

His influence on Arne Slot's team did not go unnoticed. Liverpool fans voted him Player of the Month for September. Despite this recognition, the offensive player still does not seem ready to wear the Italian national team's jersey.

As 'La Gazzetta dello Sport' emphasizes, there are no disputes or disagreements between Gattuso and Chiesa. The newspaper 'Repubblica' adds that the "problems" mentioned by the coach are psycho-physical in nature: The player is not at 100 percent of his performance capacity and wants to return to the Squadra Azzurra only when he has reached his best form to play a key role.

Chiesa himself commented on his situation in an interview with the 'Times' at the end of October: "I am playing more, but I still need more continuity to reach the required level. [...] I am a different player today, but I like the direction it's going, even though I've lost some speed."

Gattuso would have liked to have him on board, and the door to the national team is likely to remain open in the future. But right now in November, the Italian national team could surely have used him, as they are currently struggling for a direct World Cup ticket. The Azzurri are three points behind Norway and star striker Erling Haaland in their group. The Norwegians also have a goal difference 16 goals better.

Italy must therefore hope for a slip-up from the competition in the upcoming games and score many goals against Moldova before facing Norway in a direct duel on Sunday.

If the path goes through the playoffs, Chiesa's participation could become crucial again by March at the latest.

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

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