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Italy, Gattuso ahead of the match against Northern Ireland: "We're in good shape up front"

Rino Gattuso, Italy’s national team manager, spoke to Rai ahead of the match against Northern Ireland, a semi-final in the play-offs for a place at the 2026 World Cup: “We need to be good at winning the crowd over to our side. There’ll be a great atmosphere at the start, but then we’ll have to show the crowd that we’re alive and kicking, that we’re giving as good as we get.”


"Set-pieces are a fresh start because when they put the ball in, they believe strongly in what they’re doing and we have to respect them. In terms of the flow of the game, we have a slight edge over them, but we must respect them and give our all from the very first minute," adds the manager.


  • And then: "They believe in themselves strongly, and their manager is right to say that you can win matches even with 30% possession. Against Northern Ireland, Germany and Slovenia struggled because they came up against a tough side that might not be the most visually appealing but is a team in the truest sense of the word."


    Kean and Retegui will start up front, with Pio Esposito ready to come on. “And Raspadori too... We’re well-stocked up front, but proper strikers also help with build-up play. They don’t break the line to press you and get in your way, so it’s crucial for getting into the final third that our strikers get involved in building the play.”


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