Gattuso Cuts Chiesa From Italy World Cup Playoff Squad Before Northern Ireland Match

Coach Gennaro Gattuso sent winger Federico Chiesa back to Liverpool as Italy prepares for a crucial World Cup playoff against Northern Ireland in Bergamo.

Italy enters Thursday's high-stakes playoff match against Northern Ireland in Bergamo needing a victory to avoid missing a third consecutive World Cup. Coach Gennaro Gattuso confirmed on Monday that winger Federico Chiesa has been sent back to Liverpool following a brief return to the national team after a two-year absence. Chiesa, who has started only one Premier League match this season, was dismissed due to minor physical issues and what Gattuso described as a lack of the necessary frame of mind for the upcoming Italy World Cup playoff. The Azzurri are currently fighting to reach the tournament in North America after suffering two qualifying losses to Norway, including a November collapse at the San Siro where a 1-0 halftime lead turned into a 4-1 defeat following four second-half goals, two of which were scored by Erling Haaland.

Squad Changes and Injury Updates

Bologna winger Nicolò Cambiaghi has been called up to replace Chiesa in the squad. While Chiesa was sent home, Gattuso opted to keep other injured players, including Sandro Tonali, Gianluca Scamacca, and Alessandro Bastoni, with the team to foster unity. This decision marks a shift from the policy of previous manager Luciano Spalletti, who was fired in June. Gattuso explained that while he wants injured players present to improve spirit, he felt it was useless for Chiesa to stay because the player admitted he was not up to the task. Northern Ireland faces its own roster challenges, as center-back Daniel Ballard was ruled out Monday with a hamstring injury. The Sunderland defender joins captain and Liverpool right-back Conor Bradley on the sidelines for the visitors.

Strategic Shift to Bergamo

The playoff fixture will take place at Bergamo’s 23,500-seat stadium, a venue Gattuso chose specifically to avoid the negative atmosphere of larger arenas. During the previous loss to Norway in Milan, the coach noted that fans of AC Milan and Inter Milan would whistle at players from rival clubs. In contrast, the Italian squad received cheers at halftime during a 0-0 scoreline in a previous match held in Bergamo. Italy must secure a win on Thursday to advance to a final playoff round next week, where they would face either Wales or Bosnia and Herzegovina away from home. Failure to qualify would result in the four-time world champions going at least 16 years without appearing in the tournament, following previous playoff eliminations by Sweden and North Macedonia.

Building Team Unity Without Tactics

In the four months since Italy last played, Gattuso and delegation chief Gianluigi Buffon conducted a tour across Italy, London, Saudi Arabia, and Qatar to maintain squad morale. Gattuso noted that these meetings involved dinners rather than tactical sessions with whiteboards or markers. The 2006 World Cup winner emphasized that the current pressure is immense, stating that only someone without blood in their veins would not feel nervous. He urged his players to forget the nation’s history of four World Cup titles, two European Championships, and an Olympic gold to focus solely on the immediate task. If the Azzurri successfully navigate these playoffs, they are slated to join Group B in the World Cup alongside Canada, Qatar, and Switzerland.

Adversity and National Motivation

Gattuso is attempting to channel the recent success of Italian athletes in Formula 1, tennis, volleyball, baseball, and the Winter Olympics into his soccer squad. He acknowledged that while Italian soccer is currently struggling, the success of other national sports serves as a motivator. The coach has spent recent months focusing on how the team reacts to adversity, insisting that a single negative event should not dictate the dynamics of a 90-minute match. With no alibis remaining, the focus remains on the Thursday kickoff as Italy attempts to break a cycle of qualification failures that has haunted the program for nearly a decade.