Giampiero Ventura confirmed Italy “will change something” for their World Cup play-off with Sweden, but “we need tactics, heart and determination.”
The first leg ended 1-0 in Solna on Friday and the decider is at San Siro on Monday at 19.45 GMT.
Marco Verratti is suspended, while it’s reported he could scrap the 3-5-2 formation in favour of a 4-2-4 or even 3-4-3.
Giampiero Ventura confirmed Italy “will change something” for their World Cup play-off with Sweden, but “we need tactics, heart and determination.”
The first leg ended 1-0 in Solna on Friday and the decider is at San Siro on Monday at 19.45 GMT.
Marco Verratti is suspended, while it’s reported he could scrap the 3-5-2 formation in favour of a 4-2-4 or even 3-4-3.
“We will change something, because only 48 hours have passed. We hope that it’ll change for the better, considering the result, but we’ll see that at the end of the match,” said the Coach in his Press conference.
“We analysed the things that went well and others that did not go so well. I am fully aware that this game is fundamental for us, but it’s the same scenario as when I first signed the contract to lead the Nazionale.
“We knew from the moment we picked Spain in the group phase that we’d be heading for the play-offs. Nobody can be surprised we reached this point.
“I realise this is the way it works in Italy, but I didn’t expect all this. In the last Press conference, half the questions were sponsoring some players and the rest wanted others. If someone is a Coach, he decides with his own mind.”
With Verratti suspended and a likely change of formation, is Ventura open to starting Napoli midfielder Jorginho?
“My opinion on Jorginho has not changed. I said what I thought and continue to think. Federico Bernardeschi? He is here and, like all the others, could be of use.”
Ventura was very critical of Turkish referee Cuneyt Cakir for being too ‘lenient’ on the rough Swedish tackling, especially as Leonardo Bonucci’s nose was fractured by Ola Toivonen’s elbow within 30 seconds.
“In my view, the refereeing could’ve been approached in a different way, but that is part of the game. At the end of the match, I only said it could’ve been treated more fairly.
“Let’s not forget that tomorrow one of our players will wear a protective mask tomorrow. We are Italy, and if we qualify, we’ll do it by playing football. I don’t know what type of match it’ll be tomorrow, but I can only hope it will be a fair one.
“We need everything tomorrow: tactics, heart and determination. If you put those together, they can probably guarantee success, but determination alone is not enough.
“We lacked some of those elements in the first leg and worked on that.”