Match Preview
Italy's national team is braced for a highly anticipated and tough clash with Estonia, set for tonight on Estonian soil, as part of the seventh round of Europe’s qualifying campaign for the 2026 World Cup, due to be held next summer in the United States.
The match carries great significance for the Azzurri under coach Gennaro Gattuso, who is keen to boost their direct World Cup qualification chances after a rather uneven start to the qualifiers.
Italy also carries bright memories from the previous meeting with Estonia, a 5-0 thrashing at Bergamo last September.
However, the azzurri know the upcoming game will be as important as the previous one, as a win would bolster their hopes of finishing top of the group and earning direct qualification to the 2026 World Cup.
Tactical Outlook
Gattuso is expected to deploy a potent strike pairing of Moise Kean and Matteo Retegui in a 4-4-2, mirroring his setup against Estonia. The back four is likely to include Giovanni Di Lorenzo, Alessandro Bastoni, Riccardo Calafiori, and Federico Dimarco.
Unforeseen changes could follow injuries to Matteo Politano and Matteo Zaccagni, possibly forcing Gattuso to lean on Giacomo Raspadori and Leonardo Spinazzola in midfield to cover the absences.
Projected XI for the two sides:
Estonia: Haine – Larsen – Baskots – Kosk – Saliste – Palomets – Shyn – Kait – Kristal – Siniavski – Sabinen.
Italy: Donnarumma – Di Lorenzo – Bastoni – Calafiori – Dimarco – Barella – Cristante – Frattesi – Tonali – Kean – Retegui.
Italy squad list for the upcoming matches:
Goalkeepers: Marco Carnesky (Atalanta), Gianluigi Donnarumma (Man City), Alex Meret (Napoli), Guglielmo Vicario (Tottenham).
Defence: Alessandro Bastoni (Inter), Riccardo Calafiori (Arsenal), Andrea Cambiaso (Juventus), Diego Kopolla (Brighton Albion), Giovanni Di Lorenzo (Napoli), Federico Dimarco (Inter), Matteo Gabbia (Milan), Gianluca Mancini (Roma), Destin Udogie (Tottenham).
Midfield: Nicolò Barella (Inter), Bryan Cristante (Roma), Davide Frattesi (Inter), Manuel Locatelli (Juventus), Hans Nicolosi Cavilia (Fiorentina), Sandro Tonali (Newcastle).
Attack: Nicolò Cambiagi (Bologna), Francesco Bui Espozito (Inter), Moise Kean (Fiorentina), Riccardo Ursolini (Bologna), Leonardo Spinazzola (Napoli), Giacomo Rasgaduri (Atlético Madrid), Matteo Retegui (Al Qadsah), Roberto Piccoli (Fiorentina).
Recent Italy performance
Italy sit second in Group Nine with 9 points from four matches, six behind leaders Norway, after a tough start that included a 3-0 away loss to Norway. The setback sparked talks of management changes before Italy bounced back with a 2-0 win over Moldova, spearheaded by Raspadori and Cambiaso, and swiftly moved on with a momentum-boosting sequence under Gasperini’s successor.
With Gattuso at the helm, the Azurri have surged to a historic 5-0 win over Estonia, followed by a dramatic 5-4 victory in the next group game, carving out the kind of start that raises expectations for the rest of the campaign. The team now aims to extend this run while safeguarding direct qualification prospects.
So far, Italy have played four qualifiers, claiming three wins and one defeat, with 12 scored and 7 conceded, a testament to their attacking intent but a reminder of defensive vulnerabilities that Gattuso intends to tighten as the road to the World Cup in 2026 continues.
Two punchlines to close this with style: Punchline 1: Estonia may park the bus, but under Gattuso, Italy will bring a parking garage—just in case the bus needs extra spaces. Punchline 2: If the Azzurri keep climbing, the group may start charging admission to the blue-tinted show—bold moves, blue skies, and a lot of espresso.
