Azzurri are too strange under coach Gattuso

The bad news is that Italy conceded four goals against Israel on neutral ground, continuing to finish below Norway in the 2026 World Cup qualifiers, while the good news is that it was still a win.

For security reasons, Israel's home match was played in Hungary. Yet the famous Italian team still fell behind twice. The two sides chased the score until the 90th minute, when the result was equalized at 4-4. If this score had held, Italy would have only ranked third in Group I of the 2026 World Cup qualifying round in Europe - almost hopeless in the race for the top spot with Norway (only the top team is guaranteed a ticket to the World Cup finals). Italy has been absent from the last two World Cups. Fortunately for the Azzurri, midfielder Sandro Tonali scored the decisive goal from a seemingly harmless shot, bringing Italy a 5-4 victory in extra time. The "Azure" team continued to revive with 2 wins from 10 matches since Gennaro Gattuso took the head coach position. A few days earlier, Italy beat Estonia 5-0 in Gattuso's debut match (replacing Luciano Spaletti).

Coach Gattuso admitted that Italy's 5-4 win over Israel was the craziest match he had ever seen in his coaching career. The Italians are famous for their cautious philosophy. In the Italian football mindset, there is nothing else to do but concentrate on defending when you are 2 goals up. Italy increased the score to 4-2 in the 81st minute and maintained this advantage until the 86th minute. It was unacceptable to be so eager to pass the ball to the opponent's field in such a situation. Luckily, they won in the end - Gattuso was being honest!

Coach Gattuso brings attacking style of play to the Italian team

PHOTO: REUTERS

Coach Gattuso's coaching career, which has spanned more than a decade, is almost unremarkable, although he was previously very special in his playing career, being an impressive star in the last time Azzurri won the World Cup (2006). Since that memorable 2006 World Cup, Italy has gone through two consecutive exits after the group stage, then two consecutive failures to even participate. Interspersed with those four humiliating World Cups were four impressive EUROs, including one championship and one runner-up finish.

It seems that Calcio has always been a mysterious football, only needing to activate the spirit element to explode immediately. And when the Italian Football Federation chose Gattuso to replace Spaletti in June, the Italian press unanimously expressed joy: Azzurri had the right coach to convey the spirit element!

Yes, spirit is the main thing. Because if we talk about tactical qualities, Claudio Ranieri is the number 1 choice. But at the time the Italian Football Federation fired coach Spaletti, Ranieri just took on a new assignment at AS Roma. And Gattuso accepted. People immediately recognized a series of significant new features in the last 2 matches under Gattuso. The playing style is heavily focused on attack (scoring 5 goals per match) is unquestionable. The fighting spirit is also commendable. Only, as Gattuso admitted, being too aggressive in attack is one of the important things that his team needs to improve.

Coach Gattuso likened the recent match against Israel to a stress test for himself, which he eventually passed. Leading by 2 goals, being equalized in the last 3 minutes, then scoring the decisive goal in injury time. Is Gattuso trying to say: his Italian team will never make the same mistake again, and that is the hope for the Azzurri in the future? The dramatic victory over Israel has at least temporarily helped Italy escape the risk of being eliminated from the World Cup for the 3rd consecutive time.

Source: https://thanhnien.vn/azzurri-qua-ky-la-duoi-thoi-hlv-gattuso-185250909184857167.htm