Italy are out of the World Cup for the first time in 60 years and Adam Digby lays the blame squarely at the feet of Coach Giampiero Ventura.
For the first time since 1958, Italy will not be at the World Cup finals. After a qualification campaign that never saw them look confident or cohesive, the Azzurri will spend next summer watching the tournament on television. As they do so, the players will reflect on their part in what has undoubtedly been one of the worst two-year stints in the history of a proud national team of one of the game’s most prominent footballing countries.
Following the defeat in Sweden with an inexplicable team selection, Giampiero Ventura has no more Italy advocates, writes Susy Campanale.
Is there anyone left willing to defend Giampiero Ventura? We tried, we really did, but his decisions both before and during the defeat to Sweden just proved he has reached the end of the road and his advocates the end of their tethers.
Valencia striker Simone Zaza called the Euro 2016 penalty miss for Italy “the worst moment of my career. I didn’t ask to take it.”
The forward was widely mocked for his spot-kick in a quarter-final shoot-out against Germany, above all for the stuttering run-up and finish well off target.
“That damn penalty…” he told Fox Sports in Italy.
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Italy’s World Cup qualifying campaign may not seem too bad on paper, but it has raised major question marks over their Coach, writes Chloe Beresford.
The tally reads six wins, two draws and one defeat. In a World Cup qualifying group that also contains Spain, some might say that Italy haven’t fared too badly, as they have now secured a play-off berth after La Roja expectedly secured an automatic place into the summer 2018 tournament. The Azzurri probably will eventually qualify, even though it will have taken Coach Giampiero Ventura longer than he would’ve hoped.
On this day 12 months ago, Italy beat Spain 2-0 to advance to the quarter-finals at Euro 2016.
The Under-21 side face the Spanish at the Under-21 European Championships tonight, and the Azzurrini can take inspiration from the senior side’s exploits last year.
Italy hadn’t beaten Spain at a major tournament since 1994, and had been heavily beaten by La Roja in the final of Euro 2012.
Antonio Conte’s side showed no fear of the back-to-back European champions though, immediately going on the offensive in the Saint-Denis rain.
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Graziano Pellè confessed he “obviously would never have come to China if it wasn’t for all that money” after joining Shandong Luneng.
He spoke to Italia 1 show Emigratis from his new home in China.
“Obviously I would never have come here if it wasn’t for all that money,” said Pellè.
The Italy international made the transfer from Southampton just weeks after his Euro 2016 adventure concluded with a botched penalty in the shoot-out with Germany.
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The innovators of Total Football sacked Danny Blind because they lack identity and direction, writes Nick Valerio.
When Italy visit the Amsterdam Arena on Tuesday evening, Danny Blind won’t be on the bench. His assistant manager, Fred Grim, takes what must be the least appealing hot-seat in football right now. You could still bet on Holland pulling off an improbable upset using this bonus code for the UK, but the fact remains Blind’s catastrophic reign was just the culmination of a long slide into the abyss.
Can Albania’s Serie A contingent spring a surprise against Italy in their World Cup qualifier? Richard Hall considers.
The Stadio Renzo Barbera in Sicily will be the venue for Italy’s clash with Albania on Friday night. Whilst this World Cup Qualifier will take place away from the comforting surroundings of the Stadio Olimpico, the game itself will have a very familiar feel to it. Serie A is home to many who have made the short journey across the Adriatic Sea to ply their trade in Italy’s top tier. Whether the familiarity will be a positive is yet to be seen, but one thing is for sure, both teams know their enemies intimately.
The latest Italy squad hints that young talent is once more being given its chance on the peninsula, writes Richard Thomas.
Giampiero Ventura's Italy squad for the upcoming matches against Albania and the Netherlands is another sign that the Azzurri guard is changing. Since succeeding Antonio Conte last summer, the former Torino boss has shown both by his words and his actions that he is ready to give a new generation of players their chance to shine in the Nazionale.
The Azzurri’s World Cup qualifier with Albania will be tough as, writes Tom Scholes, Gianni De Biasi has Italian tactical nous.
On March 24, Italy and Albania will face off in Group G of the World Cup qualifying campaign, with the Azzurri coming into the game as heavy favourites. Despite the odds leaning towards Giampiero Ventura’s men, they will come up against a solid Albania side led by former Udinese and Torino boss Gianni De Biasi, who will be looking to get something out of this difficult clash.
