After completing their final training session this morning in Coverciano, the Azzurri took a charter flight from Florence to Zenica. Late in the afternoon, they carried out a pitch inspection at the Bilino Polje Stadium, where tomorrow evening, 20:45 CEST (referee: Frenchman Turpin), they will face Bosnia and Herzegovina in the Play-off Path A final. The winner of the game will secure a spot at the 2026 World Cup, a goal that Gennaro Gattuso has been chasing since 15Yeah June, when Federation President Gravina announced him as the new head coach of the National Team.

Gattuso noted in the press conference, “We’re very aware that there is a lot at stake. I know it, my staff knows it, the players know it, and the Federation knows it. These are challenging games, especially when you know you cannot afford to make mistakes.” The coach did not reveal his starting eleven (“we’ll see tomorrow; I have my selection in my mind”), but explained what he expects from his players:

“I hope not to disappoint our fans. We will take the field with great determination and intensity. This is the most important moment in the history of our game. We have become champions without being the strongest team several times; we achieved this by showing courage, patriotism, fighting spirit, and determination. We cannot be lacking in any of that tomorrow. It will take a truly great Italy to fulfill the dream of returning to the World Cup.”

NO EXCUSES. The icy temperatures that greeted the Azzurri will give way tomorrow evening to a heated atmosphere, with over 8,000 Bosnian fans expected in the stands at Bilino Polje, hoping to cheer on their team to the World Cup stage twelve years after their first and only appearance in Brazil 2014. Gattuso stated, “We have to recognise that fans never score the goals; that’s never happened in my career.” Even the pitch itself isn’t exactly perfect, but the coach isn’t looking for excuses: “We shouldn’t think about the condition of the field, whether it’s good or bad, or what will happen in the stands. That’s a weak mindset. I’ve seen the pitch, and it’s fine.”

DZEKO: GREAT PLAYER AND A GREAT MAN. Beyond Edin Dzeko, who has a long Serie A history with Roma, Inter, and Fiorentina, Bosnia and Herzegovina field several familiar faces from Italian football, from former Roma player Tahirovic to Atalanta’s Kolasinac, and Sassuolo defender Tarik Muharemovic. Coach Sergej Barbarez’s squad combines experienced players, led by the ever-present captain Dzeko, with young talents such as 18-year-old left-winger Kerim Alajbegovic of Salzburg, whose impact in Cardiff last Thursday was decisive in the penalty shootout win over Wales. Gattuso warned “We’re up against a strong side, who have quality players, physically strong, a team that knows how to play and how to endure. Their two forwards move extremely well to receive crosses, and they link play interestingly with Dzeko.” Barbarez, joking yet seriously, said that if his team took the lead, they would defend by “parking the bus.” Gattuso added, “He’s a great poker player… I have the feeling he’s very intelligent and able to understand his players’ minds.” He also praised Dzeko’s words in the press conference, where the Bosnian asked his teammates to stand tomorrow when our national anthem will be played: “I have a very good relationship with Edin. He’s a professional years ahead of the rest. A great champion and a great man.” When asked by a Bosnian journalist what he would do if things went badly, Gattuso responded: “It would be a disappointment, a heavy blow. Whatever happens, I will take responsibility. For now, we’re staying focused and calm; if it happens, we’ll deal with it.”

CALM BUT TOUGH. Alongside Barella and Tonali, Donnarumma made his debut as a starter for the National Team in Zenica on 15 November 2019, when Italy beat Bosnia 3-0, keeping a clean sheet with several impressive saves. That victory allowed Mancini’s Italy to extend their streak to nine consecutive wins in European qualifiers. Tomorrow, the stakes are much higher: “We know what’s at stake, and we know we represent all Italians. We are human, and we feel the pressure too, but we must save all our energy for tomorrow. We will give our all, aware that it will be a tough match. We must approach it calmly but also stay strong because they will fight in the middle, and we don’t want to be outdone. They have great champions and strong individuals. The team is ready, my teammates have the right mindset, ready for a big match. Fans who are both here and at home will be with us.”

The Azzurri captain, who reached 80 appearances for Italy at just 27 years old in Bergamo last Thursday, wants to play his first World Cup this summer: “With the Azzurri, there have been plenty of joys and disappointments. I’ve missed out on two World Cups, and I want to bring Italy back to where it belongs.”