🇮🇹 Chiesa left out of Italy again, why he turned down Gattuso⚠️ | OneFootball

In the press conference two days ago, Gattuso's words about Chiesa's absence from the squad caused a stir:

"Chiesa? I often talk with him, choices and issues that each of us have must be respected. I have to respect what he tells me. I can't say more. The choice not to come is his."

But what lies behind these words? Certainly, there are no tensions with Gattuso.

Why Chiesa did not accept the call-up

During the October break, Gattuso did not call Chiesa, providing this explanation: "Federico and I talk every fifteen days, more or less. He told me he doesn't feel 100% yet and that must be respected. He will play with the National team when he reaches his peak."

Since then, however, Chiesa has played only 191 minutes across all competitions with Liverpool, including 90 as a starter in the defeat against Crystal Palace in the EFL Cup. Despite providing 1 assist during this time, the forward still does not feel ready to return to wearing the Italy jersey.

So there are no disagreements or misunderstandings between Gattuso and Chiesa, as highlighted by La Gazzetta dello Sport. The newspaper Repubblica adds that the "problems" the coach mentioned are psycho-physical: the player does not feel 100% and wants to return to the National team only at his best, so he can be a protagonist.

Moreover, Federico Chiesa himself explained his situation during an interview with the Times at the end of October: "I'm playing more and still need continuity to reach the required level. [...] Today I am a different player, but I like the direction I'm heading, even though I've lost a bit of speed."

The doors to the National team, in short, remain open.

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

📸 Alex Grimm - 2024 Getty Images