Gattuso: Not every stadium suits Italy, I'd play in Calabria | OneFootball

A few hours before the kickoff of Italy-Israel, a match valid for the 2026 World Cup qualifiers in the USA, Canada, and Mexico, the coach of the Italian national team, Gennaro Gattuso, spoke to Rai Radio Uno.

Italy, Gattuso’s words ahead of the match against Israel: “Not every stadium can host the national team, I’d gladly go play in Calabria”

Tonight’s match, in which Italy will face Israel, could mathematically secure one of the top two spots in Group I for the next World Cup qualifiers. If the Azzurri avoid defeat against Israel, they will at least earn a place in the playoffs, scheduled for March. Just hours before such a delicate match, the Italian national team coach, Gennaro Gattuso, spoke to Rai Radio Uno, addressing several important topics.

These are the words of the national team’s head coach: “The 10,000 at the stadium tonight are worth 30-40 thousand to me. They are heroes. They deserve praise just for coming to this match, which was considered impossible to attend and where anything could happen. We hope to give them a great joy. It’s important to have forwards who aren’t individualistic. People always talk about goals, but they should be appreciated for the work they do. They’re good, they cover the pitch, and they always manage to make the double step-up when we want to press ultra-offensively.

“Pio Esposito? We had thought about playing him, also considering the opponents’ characteristics, but he spent a lot. He’ll start on the bench and Raspadori will play from the start, but we’ll see him on the pitch later. The disparity between North and South? We talk about these things at the table. In stadiums like Palermo, Naples, Bari, and Lecce there’s a licensing issue. I’d go play on foot to Reggio Calabria or Cosenza, but these are all stadiums where certain types of matches can’t be played.”

Vincenzo Schiavo

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