The specter of a new catastrophe haunts all of Italy. After the humiliations of 2018 and 2022, the Squadra Azzurra is once again in great danger in its race to qualify for the 2026 World Cup. Second in its group behind a solid Norwegian team, direct qualification is a miracle. The only credible path remains that of dams, a traumatic ordeal for an entire country. In this context of maximum pressure, coach Gennaro Gattuso spoke. And his message is unequivocal.
Gattuso asks for “maximum commitment”
Far from apothecary calculations, the former midfielder set a clear course for his players before the trip to Moldova. “I want to see maximum commitment to continue what we started in September”he insisted at a press conference. No question of planning for the final clash against Norway. For Gattuso, the most important match, and the most tricky, is the one that is coming. “The match against Moldova is the most important, because the match against Norway is easier to prepare mentally.”
This request is not trivial. Since his arrival in June, the former OM coach has given color to a selection in full doubt, stringing together four victories with a newfound strike force. But he knows that everything remains fragile. Against Moldova, he intends to rotate his squad and give playing time to some, but the intensity requirement remains the same for everyone. It is a test of character that he imposes on his group, a test to assess who is ready to go into battle.
Forming a group for the dams
The objective of these last two matches is no longer really first place, barring an improbable scenario. Norway has a much better goal difference. The real challenge lies elsewhere: it is about uniting a group and building collective certainty before the terrible roadblocks of March. Every minute of play, every duel, must serve to build a warrior mentality. The absences of Moise Kean, injured, and Federico Chiesa, who gave up the selection, make this need for cohesion even more vital.
Gattuso set his conditions. He expects a response not in words, but on the ground. These two meetings are not an end in themselves, but a dress rehearsal before the real judgment. The coach launched his war cry. It is now up to his men to prove that they have the strength to break the curse hanging over Italian football and finally see America.
