The Italian coach, on the eve of the last World Cup qualifier against Norway, responds to the President of the Senate and returns to the case triggered by Ultras Italia in Chisinau
Rino Gattuso goes on the attack on the eve of the match against Norway tomorrow evening at San Siro, which will certify the need to go through the playoffs to qualify for the next World Cup. “The criticism received by La Russa? I respect him, but I don’t know where he was: he certainly wasn’t inside the stadium, in my opinion he didn’t even see the match – the Italian coach stings a Sky -. Boos are accepted, but if you hear people wishing death, chants like “go to work” or “let’s come to Coverciano”, then there’s something that doesn’t add up to me.” The national coach, then, has no doubts about the importance of the match against Haaland and his teammates. “It’s a stage on the path to raising the bar, with 70,000 people in the stadium and the record for takings in the history of the national team – he explains -. It is important for us to see what levels we are at. San Siro exam for Pio Esposito? No, he must not let himself get caught up in the pressure and he must just be the Pio we know: help his teammates, fight, pedal and if there is an opportunity throw it in.” Although they are on the horizon, Gattuso absolutely does not want to cast his gaze on the play-offs in March. “If we start thinking about it now we will get there exhausted – he warns -. We have to think about how to “touch” our players, hear from them not just by telephone, go and drink tea or coffee with a piece of tart where they are, find a gap in the February break to spend 48 hours together and pray to God to get there in the best conditions.”
Italy-Norway, the conference on the eve
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Together with the coach it was the turn of Inter defender Federico Dimarco to present tomorrow evening’s match at San Siro. “We don’t make the rules, but the group is like this and therefore even with just one defeat at the moment we are in the playoffs – he told Sky starting again from the controversy over the qualification formula -. I have had many good and bad moments, at the end of last year I suffered a lot and now I am happy and happy with the trust of Chivu and Gattuso. I hope to continue like this. There is a wonderful feeling with the coach, he is a sincere person who has made us have that sense of belonging again in wearing the national team shirt and this is the most important thing.”