Italy coach Gennaro Gattuso urged his players to remain careful about Tuesday’s major qualification of the World Cup against Israel in Udine and warn that their opponents were of quality to punish any satisfaction.
With a victory of 3-1 over Estonia last week, Azzurri strengthened her hopes to secure the place of playoffs from Group I. At present, he is sitting second with 12 points out of five matches, three points ahead of Israel, and have a play in the leaders of Norway. Group winners will automatically qualify for the World Cup, while runners advance to the playoffs.
“It’s a huge match for us,” Gattuso told reporters on Monday. “They throw it all and play on the front leg. From the center of the field up, with their quality, Israel can cause problems. We have to stay disciplined and not repeat the mistakes we made for the last time.”
Italy manager referred to the reverse accessories last month, which ended in a frantic competition for end-to-end, which Italy tightly lined. Gattuso, determined to avoid a similar situation, emphasized control and peace of mind in what could prove the decisive night for the ambition of his team.
Azzurri will be without the attacker Moise Kean, who picked up injuries in victory over Estonia while the defender Alessandro Bastoni is suspended. Despite the absence of Gattuso, he expressed confidence in the depth and resistance of his group.
The four-time world champions of Italy are still trying to return to the largest football scene since 2014, when they missed the last two editions-the Gattuso, which is determined to end. His predecessor Luciano Spalletti, who was released in June after a hard defeat in Norway, said at the weekend that he impressed him by Italian turn to Gattus and was sure they could finish this work.
But Gattuso postponed such optimism. “The only thing is death,” he said. “Everything else must be earned. We haven’t spoken about the playoffs yet-the way is placed only on Israel.”
The match will be played under close security, while the pro-Palestinian march will be held on the same day in the center of Udine. The organizers expect about 10,000 participants, although the demonstration occurs several kilometers from the stadium on the northern outskirts of the city.
Local authorities assured the public that extensive security measures were introduced because more than 9,000 fans are expected to participate. While most of the population remain convinced of a peaceful evening, some traders expressed concern that the problem can penetrate the march, as he recently saw in other Italian cities.
“I haven’t decided whether to stay open,” said Francesco Ursic, owner of the local shop. “I just hope everything goes quietly – it’s an important night for the city.”
When Italy is preparing for a defining clash, Gattus’s message is clear: redemption will require discipline, focus and hard work – and there can be no room for errors.
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Published:
Amar Pancker
Published on:
13 October 2025
