The Azzurri lost 4-1 at San Siro and will play in the playoffs
Italy coach Gennaro Gattuso apologized to fans after a 4-1 defeat to Norway at Milan’s San Siro, a result that sent the Azzurri back into the World Cup qualifiers.
The four-time world champions needed to close a 17-goal deficit to secure a direct place in the 2026 World Cup, but ended up being humiliated by Haaland and co and left the field to boos.
Gattuso, who quarreled with the fans after the 2-0 win over Moldova last week, said: “We have to apologize to our fans because the 4-1 score was heavy. We have to lick our wounds. Congratulations to them, and we apologize to our fans for the four goals.”
Italy was practically certain of qualifying for the qualifiers due to the balance difference, but it was hoping to at least achieve a good victory over Norway to gain confidence in the face of the ghost of the last two matches in the qualifiers, when it fell to Sweden (2018) and North Macedonia (2022) in the qualifiers.
The coach added: “We played well, we were consistent and we did the right things, but the game changed when they took the first shot 30 seconds later (in the second half), and that started to scare us.”
He said: “We failed, but we have to think, because we cannot collapse at the first setback.” Italy have not participated in a World Cup since 2014, in Brazil, and have not reached the knockout stages of a World Cup since 2006, when they became four-time champions. .
About The Author
