World Cup: Texan poker for Italy, all-in against Northern Ireland

The one on stage this evening at 8.45pmNew Balance Arena in Bergamo is a football match that resembles a Texan poker hand: gli Azzurri di Gennaro Gattusothey face theNorthern Ireland nella playoff semifinal per le 2026 World Cup qualifierswith the aim of conquering thedirect access alla final phaseof the tournament hosted byUSA, Canada and Mexico. As in the card game, Gattuso bet the entire stake: all-in. Either he wins (and goes to the playoff final) or he loses. And it would be for the third time in a row ‘national mourning’ (or National).

L’Italia arriva ai playoffaftersecond place in European Group Iwith 18 points behind Norway, thanks to a run ofsix consecutive victories. L’Northern Irelandthird in its group, presents itselfcompact and physicalled by the coachMichael O’Neill. In case of blue success, thefinal on March 31stwe would play away againstWales or Bosnia-Herzegovina.

Italy cannot fail again

This match is fundamental forItalia, absent from the World Cup since 2014after eliminations fromRussia 2018(against Sweden) eQatar 2022(lost playoffs withNorth Macedonia). The Azzurri cannot fail again after thateight years of absence from the world championshipa fast thatGattusowants to interrupt with onerenewed but experienced team.

Record against Northern Ireland

Gli Azzurri vantano un positive balanceagainst theNorthern Ireland: 7 wins, 3 draws and a single defeat nel 1958 a Belfastwhich cost dearly for thequalification for Sweden. Between 1961 and 2009 there were four consecutive successes, plus a 0-0 in 2021. Another statistical data: theItaly is unbeaten in Bergamo nei four previous ones,

Calls and probable lineups

Gattuso has called up 23 playersfor this evening’s playoff semi-final against Northern Ireland, Inter defender Alessandro Bastoni is present, recovered, while, as expected, Atalanta striker Gianluca Scamacca is not available. This is the list with the shirt numbers: Goalkeepers: 1 Gianluigi Donnarumma, 12 Marco Carnesecchi, 22 Alex Meret. Defenders: 2 Marco Palestra, 3 Federico Dimarco, 4 Leonardo Spinazzola, 6 Alessandro Buongiorno, 13 Riccardo Calafiori, 19 Federico Gatti, 27 Giorgio Scalvini, 21 Alessandro Bastoni, 23 Gianluca Mancini. Midfielders: 5 Manuel Locatelli, 8 Sandro Tonali, 14 Niccolo’ Pisilli, 16 Bryan Cristante, 17 Davide Frattesi, 18 Nicolo’ Barella. Attackers: 7 Matteo Politano, 9 Mateo Retegui, 10 Giacomo Raspadori, 11 Moise Kean, 15 Pio Esposito. In addition to Scamacca, Caprile, Cambiaso, Coppola and Cambiaghi were in the stands

Probable lineups: ITALIA (3-5-2)Donnarumma; Mancini, Bastoni, Calafiori; Politano, Barella, Locatelli, Tonali, Dimarco; Kean, Retegui. Coach: Gattuso.NORTHERN IRELAND (5-4-1): P.Charles; Spencer, Hume, McConville, McNair, Devenny; S.Charles, McCann, Price, Galbraith; Donley. Ct: O’Neill. REFEREE: Danny Makkelie (Netherlands). The match is broadcast onRai 1 e in streaming su RaiPlay.