FIFA have wiped all yellow cards received during the World Cup qualification groups, so ten Italy players, including Gigio Donnarumma and Nicolò Barella are no longer at risk of suspension for the potential Final.
The Azzurri failed to qualify for Qatar 2022 by winning their group, so they must book their place for the competition through the play-offs.
They will face North Macedonia in Palermo on March 24. Turkey and Portugal are the potential opponents in the Final, which will be played on March 29.
Nicolò Barella, Federico Bernardeschi, Giorgio Chiellini, Federico Chiesa, Gianluigi Donnarumma, Lorenzo Insigne, Lorenzo Pellegrini, Matteo Pessina, Rafael Tolói and Sandro Tonali would have missed the Final with one yellow card against North Macedonia.
Federico Chiesa will miss the match against North Macedonia anyway as he suffered a knee injury against Roma last week and will undergo surgery in the coming days.
The 24-year-old has been forced to the sidelines for the remainder of the season.
All yellow cards picked up during qualifying have been wiped for the World Cup Playoffs 📰#Qatar2022 #Azzurri #VivoAzzurrohttps://t.co/alFai8J8Ov
— Italy ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ (@Azzurri_En) January 17, 2022
3-4-2-1
Chiellini- Bonnucci – Mancini
Barella-Jorginho-Pellegrini-DiLorenzo
Insigne- Zaniolo
Balotelli
Bastoni-Florenzi-Castrovilli-Pessina-Berardi-Bernadeshi-Belotti
No Immobile, Crisante or Emerson
Or false 9
Bastoni-Bonucci-Mancini- DiLorenzo
Barella- Jorginho- Castrovilli
Insigne-Pellegrini- Berardi
Chiellini-Florenzi-Pessina-Bernadeshi-Zaniolo-Balotelli
@Adriano,
Mancini is too slow, Bastoni is better than him or even Ibañez.
And who needs Belotti, Bernaderschi, Baloteli or Castriovilli, when there are Scamacca, Raspadori, Frattesi and Tonali. Even Lorenzo Luca is better choice.
@aldair
You want to go in the most important games with a bunch of youngsters that have what ten caps total?? Balotelli is a game changer like him or not and Mancini is better then you think who can also play multiple positions. I don’t mind Tonali but he’s no Pellegrini, Castrovilli or Barella
Not good, IMO.
Portugal had 2 players out for their match versus Turkey. Now they are at full strength and their chances to advance to the final of Path C just increased.
Short-sited people believe this is good for Italy.
I get it, we risked Barella, Gigio, Toloi, Chiellini and Chiesa if he was healthy but we had a fairly manageable opponent in North Macedonia.
This is not good. Just IMVHO.
@Adriano, you know nothing about football.
Your 1st formation, a Central Midfielder, Barella plays as Right Wing Back.
Your 2nd formation, a left footed Centre Back, Bastoni plays as a Right Back.
Go back to your EPL please.
@cypher
With a name like Cypher ,you should go to EPL..You do what you have to do to play your best players and Bastoni could play there. Theres nobody else on LB but who Emerson? Keep on playing Fifa 21
That’s a sure fire way to not advance with those lineups. Will never understand the obsession with Balotelli on the part of some people. Man’s never had a 20 goal season.
If it’s a Portugal vs Italy in the final match, I have a few ideas how this match will play out.
One of which is I do believe the onus will be on Portugal to take the initiative and search for a goal. I think Gli Azzurri could be content to sit back and take minimal risk. Maybe our guys will be more confident going into PK’s.