“It won’t be a walk in the park,” said Gennaro Gattuso, aware of the challenge that tomorrow will bring. His team arrived in Chișinău late this afternoon ahead of tomorrow night’s match against Moldova (20:45 CET, refereed by Balakin from Ukraine), their final away game of 2025. Two hours before the match, Norway host Estonia in Oslo, and a win there would all but secure their direct qualification for the World Cup. But the Italy coach is clear: no distractions. For now, he wants full focus on the Zimbru Stadium, not on Haaland and his team mates, who await in Milan on Sunday. The goal is to make it six wins in a row in the group, continuing a run that began with the 2-0 victory over Moldova on 9 June, courtesy of goals from Cambiaso and Raspadori.

“There’s no such thing as an easy game,” Gattuso reminded. “Just think back to the match in Reggio Emilia, when we really had to dig deep.” Ranked 156th in the FIFA standings and bottom of the group with one point (earned away to Estonia last month), Moldova have lost all six previous meetings with Italy. On paper, it might look straightforward, but underestimating the opponent would be a serious mistake: “We need to show them the utmost respect. Moldova aren’t the same team that lost 11-1 to Norway – they can cause problems, and we’ll need to work hard to get the win.”

Gattuso expressed his satisfaction with what he’s seen from the group so far: “I want to thank the players for their professionalism, their commitment and their camaraderie. Seeing them so motivated and eager to be here means a lot.”

SCAMACCA TO START

With Barella suspended and Kean out injured, Italy will look different to the side seen in last month’s fixtures against Estonia and Israel. Three days later, Norway come to San Siro, so Gattuso will use this opportunity to hand minutes to those who haven’t featured as much during his first four matches in charge. One player who won’t feature is Nicolò Cambiaghi, forced to withdraw this morning due to a calf problem.

“There will be plenty of changes tomorrow, and whoever starts has earned it,” confirmed Gattuso, before revealing several lineup decisions: “Scamacca and Raspadori will start in attack, Cristante and Tonali will be in midfield, and Vicario will play in goal. As part of our ongoing development, it’s vital that we can rely on the entire squad.”

AZZURRI PRIDE

Gattuso and his squad have also been following the progress of Italian tennis stars competing at the ATP Finals in Turin: “Sinner fills me with pride, but so does Musetti. We watched him play last night until midnight, and it’s great to support everybody who represents our country.” The coach also acknowledged the strong TV audience figures for the national team’s matches: “It’s a real source of pride to see six or seven million people tuning in. The only way to make people fall in love with this team is through our performances.”

CRISTANTE

Having come off the bench against both Estonia and Israel, Bryan Cristante will return to the starting XI tomorrow night. A key figure in Roma’s impressive start to the season, he’s been outstanding in midfield, both in a deeper role and further forward: “It’s been a really strong start, both individually and as a team,” he said in the pre-match press conference. “Now it’s about focusing on ourselves. We want to win and put in a strong performance, because maintaining this momentum is vital. It won’t be easy though – every game presents its own challenges.”

EURO 2026 QUALIFIERS – GROUP I FIXTURES AND TABLE

13 November 18:00 CET: Norway–Estonia (Oslo)
13 November 20:45 CET: Moldova–ITALY (Chisinau)
16 November 20:45 CET: Israel–Moldova (Debrecen)
16 November 20:45 CET: ITALY–Norway (Milan)

Standings: Norway 18 points (6 matches played), ITALY 15 (6), Israel 9 (7), Estonia 4 (7), Moldova 1 (6)