Gattuso begins Italy salvage operation with WC on the line

Gennaro Gattuso begins his reign as Italy coach on Friday with the visit of Estonia and a contested fixture with Israel as he bids to stop the Azzurri from missing out on a third consecutive World Cup.

Italy are at risk of not qualifying for next year’s finals in in the United States, Canada and Mexico after a troubled start to their campaign in June which cost Luciano Spalletti -- already under pressure from a dismal European title defence -- his job.

Gattuso, who was not first choice as coach and has a spotty record in club football management, has a mountain to climb ahead of his first match as national team coach in Bergamo.

Italy are nine points behind Group I leaders Norway after their first two qualifiers, one of them a 3-0 thumping at the hands of Erling Haaland and company.

Only top spot in the group gives automatic qualification to the World Cup and even though Italy have played two fewer games than Norway, their chances of finishing first look slim.

As well as the significant points gap Italy have a goal difference which is 12 worse than Norway, meaning that the play-offs, from which they failed to reach the last two tournaments, are the more realistic route for qualification.

“I want to see a sense of belonging, the willingness to make sacrifices, and also acceptance of being told uncomfortable truths by teammates. We cannot allow fear to enter our minds,” Gattuso told reporters on Monday.

Gattuso was crowned a world champion with Italy in 2006, the last World Cup in which the Azzurri lived up to their reputation as a hugely important football nation -- group-stage exits followed at the next two editions before failing to qualify for the 2018 and 2022 finals.

“We have to be strong. We can’t panic if the score is still 0-0 after 10 minutes,” he added.

“We need to be a team, to fight blow for blow... History shows that we’ve never lacked character, and we have to bring that back.”

To reach the play-offs Italy would need to finish second, a position currently occupied by Israel who have three points more having played an extra game.

A political cloud has hung over Gattuso’s first week in charge due to Monday’s match with Israel in Debrecen, Hungary.

Israel is under mounting pressure at home and abroad to end its offensive in the Gaza Strip which has killed at least 63,633 Palestinians -- mostly civilians -- according to figures from the health ministry in a territory where the United Nations has declared a famine.

On Saturday thousands of protesters marched to the gates of the Venice Film Festival, shouting: “Stop the genocide!”, while an unheeded open letter calling on festival organisers to denounce the Israeli government was signed by around 2,000 cinema insiders.

Last month the Italian Football Coaches Association (AIAC) sent a letter to the country’s football federation (FIGC) asking that Israel be suspended from international competition.

In October Italy take on Israel in Udine, where the two countries played a Nations League fixture last year which was met with a huge security operation and pre-match protests from activists.

“I am a man of peace and it hurts my heart to see civilians and children affected, it hurts my heart,” said Gattuso.

“We and the FIGC are working diligently to find solutions and ensure a match in Udine which goes smoothly. Our duty is to do our job, but I hope a peaceful solution be found... It’s something that hits you in the heart.”

Italy will be without injured striker Gianluca Scamacca for upcoming World Cup qualifiers against Estonia and Israel.

Scamacca was sent home from the Azzurri training camp on Thursday with a knee issue.

Italy have three points from two matches. Norway, which has played four matches, leads Group I with 12 points, and Israel is next with six points from three matches.

Without Scamacca, Mateo Retegui and Moise Kean will be expected to lead Italy’s attack.

Retegui, who led Serie A with 25 goals for Atalanta last season, recently joined the Saudi Pro League. Kean, who was second in the Italian league with 19 goals last season, recently had his salary increased by Fiorentina.

Agencies