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A German legend: If Yamal were Italian, they’d have sent him down to the second division

A scathing verdict on the crisis in Italian football

German football legend Jürgen Klinsmann has delivered a scathing verdict on the Italian national team’s failure to qualify for the World Cup for the third consecutive time.

The Azzurri stumbled in the World Cup qualifiers and scraped through to the play-offs, but suffered a crushing defeat in the final against Bosnia and Herzegovina, losing 4-1 on penalties after a 1-1 draw in normal time and extra time, meaning they will remain absent from the World Cup for the first time since 2018.

Klinsmann, who shone as a player for Inter Milan and Sampdoria (his son Jonathan is the goalkeeper for Cesena), drew on his deep connection with Italian football to offer one of the most insightful analyses to date on why the Azzurri continue to fail to qualify for the World Cup.

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Anxiety and sorrow… the price of the absence of leaders
Klinsmann told *Corriere dello Sport* that Italy’s defeat to Bosnia on penalties left him suffering from insomnia and deep sadness.
He said: “I suffered a lot with my Italian friends in Los Angeles. The following night, I suffered from insomnia.”
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However, his diagnosis of the underlying problems in Italian football was frank and direct, with Klinsmann stating that “Italy is paying the price for its lack of leaders, its lack of players who can take on opponents in one-on-one situations, and a lack of confidence in young players”.
The Italian league is available free on stc tv for customers on the Biti Fiver, Mufotter 4, Max, Pro 4 and 5 packages.Watch now!

The crux of the crisis in Italian football
The former Bayern Munich, USA and South Korea manager then drew a comparison that got to the heart of the crisis in Italian football.
He stated: “If Lamine Yamal (Barcelona) and Jamal Musiala (Bayern Munich) were in Italy, they would most likely be sent to the second division on the pretext of gaining experience.”
Klinsmann points to the destructive approach taken by Serie A clubs towards young talent, which is currently causing quite a stir, with the debate raging over the lack of opportunities Italian youngsters receive in the first team.
The Italian league is available free on stc tv for customers of the Beety Fiver, Mufotter 4, Max, and Pro 4 and 5 packages.Watch now!
Klinsmann also alluded to the tactical rigidity of many coaches in Italy, who “play not to lose rather than striving to win at all costs, and what happened (to the national team) is a result of that”.

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Anxiety and sorrow… the price of the absence of leaders

The crux of the crisis in Italian football

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