It’s almost time. Tomorrow evening (20:45 CET referee: Hernández from Spain), in a sold-out Meazza Stadium (66,000 tickets sold), Italy will play Norway, the group leaders with a perfect record and dominant in Group I, aiming for their seventh group-stage victory and sixth under Gattuso. The Azzurri need a 9-0 win to catch up with Haaland and his side at the top of the group and beat them on goal difference, securing direct qualification for the World Cup, an almost impossible task.

 

“A 9-0 win is unthinkable,” Gattuso confirmed in the press conference, “but never say never. We have to be realistic. We’re playing for our pride against a team that gave us a hard time six months ago.” Another win would be the perfect way to close out 2025, making up for the defeat on 6 June in Oslo. We would be able to go into the play-offs in March with confidence: “There’s a lot at stake tomorrow. It will be a match to see where we really stand. We need to be smart, not get carried away by the thrill of it all, we have to avoid mistakes, and keep out of trouble. Mentally, it’s a game that can help us grow.” Responding to questions from Norwegian journalists, the coach praised Stale Solbakken’s side: “They’ve shown great skill and deserve this. They have physical strength, speed, and four attackers, Haaland, Sorloth, Nusa, and Bobb, who can capitalise on any mistake. When they defend as a team, it’s difficult to break them down; they’re a complete team.”

 

CALAFIORI AND TONALI OUT. Over the next few hours, Riccardo Calafiori and Sandro Tonali will leave the squad. The Arsenal defender has not fully recovered from the fatigue he arrived with at Coverciano on Monday and will therefore not be able to play in the match against Norway. Midfielder Tonali will still take part in today’s training session but will not play tomorrow and has been allowed to leave Milanello in the afternoon. Both players will be in the stadium tomorrow evening to support their teammates from the stands. Gattuso added, “Yesterday, Calafiori tried to prepare himself for the match, but we decided not to take that risk. That’s the right decision. Tonali will also be out; he has no physical problems, but we won’t risk him for the reasons I explained five days ago at Coverciano (he’s one booking away from suspension).” Despite the suspension risk, Frattesi will start (“he’ll be in the line-up from the first minute”), while in defense, the coach confirmed that either Mancini or Buongiorno will play.

 

THINKING AHEAD TO THE PLAY-OFFS. The match against Norway will be Italy’s final game before the play-offs, which means that there will be a break of at least three months before Gattuso can be with his players again. Postponing the league fixtures scheduled for the weekend before the play-offs seems unlikely; instead, there may be a training camp in February. The Coach explained, “It’s very unlikely that they’ll move the league matches. We hope to have one or two opportunities to check in on our players. We’ll need to approach the play-offs with a clear mindset and strong preparation, both physically and mentally. We can’t afford to be fearful; fear holds you back, and suddenly the ball feels like an unmoving weight.”

 

 

DIMARCO. After being subbed on late into Chisinau, it only took Federico Dimarco a few minutes to deliver the cross that Mancini headed in for the opener. He is expected to be back in the starting line-up tomorrow, ready to reclaim his spot on the left flank. During the press conference, he commented, “We’re playing against a strong side. We saw that in the first game. But we’re not the team we were in Oslo. It was a bad match, and Norway were better than us in every aspect. Tomorrow we’ll need to put on a strong performance and try to win our sixth consecutive match.”

 

While finishing first in the group is now unrealistic (“I think winning 9–0 is impossible”), a victory could give Italy the confidence they need for March’s play-offs. “It’s our last match before the play-offs. Winning helps keep the winning mindset, and we need to keep proving ourselves. The coach is helping us develop; beyond formations, the group makes the difference, and when we have been a true team, it has always been impactful.” The Inter defender has played in two Champions League finals, and like all his teammates, he dreams of going to his first World Cup. “It would be incredible to represent Italy. We have a duty to qualify, and we deserve it based on what we’ve shown in this group.”

 

A GOAL FOR RESEARCH. The press conference at Milanello opened with Dr. Serena Mazzucchelli, a researcher from AIRC. For the match against Norway, the Azzurri will once again support A Goal for Research, AIRC’s long-standing campaign promoted alongside FIGC, Serie A, Enilive, AIA, and with the support of sports media. Head coach Gennaro Gattuso and the entire squad are calling on fans to join the team of those who believe in scientific research, scoring many symbolic goals to make cancer increasingly curable through donations via SMS or landline to 45521 or on airc.it.

 

GROUP I FIXTURES AND STANDINGS

16 November, 20:45 CET: Israel vs. Moldova (Debrecen)
16 November, 20:45 CET: ITALY vs. Norway (Milan)

Standings: Norway 21 points (7 games played), ITALY 18 (7), Israel 9 (7), Estonia 4 (8), Moldova 1 (7).