Gattuso Warns Ireland: Italy Ready, But No Relaxation Ahead of World Cup Playoff

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Italy coach Gennaro Gattuso warned that Northern Ireland are a physically tough, never‑giving‑up opponent, while stressing that the Azzurri still carry fragility and that Federico Chiesa is dealing with a lingering issue.

Speaking after the World Cup playoff draw on Thursday on Sky Sport Italia, Gattuso confirmed Italy will meet Northern Ireland in the Path A semi‑final, with the first leg scheduled for March 26 at home and the potential final on March 31 away against the winner of Wales vs Bosnia and Herzegovina.

Gattuso praised Ireland's fitness and resolve, saying they never give up and that Italy must approach the tie with confidence. He noted that the playoff had long been anticipated and that their path can still improve with a strong showing.

There have been reports that the Italian federation would like to bring the squad together at Coverciano before the semi‑final, but busy club schedules could make this difficult.

Gattuso added that the decision is not entirely his: there is a federation president and others handling logistics; more days together would help.

He said the team will stay connected with players during the congested league calendar, and that conversations should go beyond football to keep players engaged and focused.

While he has experimented with formations, he stressed that the core issue is not tactical; every system has its positives and negatives, and the priority is addressing fragility.

He continued that they must work on their fragility now, because when they do things right, they are contenders. There will be time to think about systems, but the immediate task is to study Ireland and minimize any damage to the group.

Asked about Chiesa's possible return for the playoff year, Gattuso replied that he always calls Chiesa into every squad list and speaks with him regularly; the problem lies with the player, not with the staff. Italy has failed to reach the last two World Cups via playoff losses, in 2018 to Sweden and in 2022 to North Macedonia.

The draw also outlined four paths: Path B Ukraine‑Sweden and Poland‑Albania; Path C Turkey‑Romania and Slovakia‑Kosovo; Path D Denmark‑North Macedonia and Czech Republic‑Ireland. The winners meet in the path finals, with the overall playoff final deciding the last European ticket.

Punchlines: If football were a sniper duel, Italy would miss the first shot but land the headshot with a well‑timed espresso. And remember: the sharpest thing in the room besides Gattuso’s focus is the garlic aroma from the pasta after a win.