Roberto Mancini has a number of doubts to resolve ahead of Italy’s World Cup play-off against North Macedonia, which kicks off in 10 days.
La Gazzetta dello Sport details how the Azzurri coach spoke to goalkeeper Gianluigi Donnarumma on the phone last week following Paris Saint-Germain’s Champions League collapse against Real Madrid. He made it clear that the former Milan shot stopper’s starting position in the Italy squad was still secure.
In the defence, Giorgio Chiellini and Leonardo Bonucci have hardly featured in recent weeks due to injuries, meaning that either Alessandro Bastoni or Francesco Acerbi could find themselves in the starting 11 in 10 days’ time, likely in place of a Chiellini who hasn’t played since early February.
Giovanni Di Lorenzo and Emerson Palmieri will both start on either side of the centre back pair, with both fit enough to take part. Leonardo Spinazzola is still out following his Achilles tendon injury last summer.
Mancini still plans to deploy Lazio talisman Ciro Immobile against North Macedonia, hoping the 32-year-old can carry across his club form. Andrea Belotti will also be part of the squad and he’s hoping to make a big impact.
Domenico Berardi will start on the right but there are doubts about the left side. Lorenzo Insigne isn’t fully fit so it’s likely that Lorenzo Pellegrini will be deployed on the left wing, although there’s also a chance that Mattia Zaccagni or Gianluca Caprari could get the nod.
Doesn’t sound like a scintillating team does it….
Not happy Belotti is being called up.I respect this player but he has had injuries all season and is not in form ye since coming back. A little bit nervous.
What about Balotelli
How on earth does Belotti feature over Scamacca
Did FI get all this information from La Gazzetta dello Sport, or just the first part about Donnarumma?
The reason I ask, is because from the third paragraph onwards, it all seems an awful lot like conjecture to me.
The news about Bonucci and Chiellini is kind of obvious, while the inclusion Caprari and Zaccagni, while merited, appears curious given they have barely got anywhere near the first team before, and so to throw them in at the deep end for the most crucial of games sounds very odd.
Zaniolo , Scamacca , Balotelli , Raspadori , all look good to me . Why not Romanogli ?
If that’s the starting attack, we mind as well pack our bags. Mancini is a great coach but he is too faithful to his players. After Bulgaria he should have shaken the team up. He needs a real center forward to make this work as a 4-3-3. Call Balotelli up or put Scamacca in a 4-4-2 formation along with Balotelli. He is too inexperienced to carry the weight under the 4-3-3.
This will be the usual Immobike running around trying to get involved and a trio of attackers trying to put one in. The 3 midfielders are solid but rarely score. Italy has a great attacking midfielder in Zaniolo – a 4-4-2 with a true attacking midfielder and two center forwards would chew Portugal or Turkey out. Sadly, Mancini will persist with the 4-3-3 with no real centre forward to get the ball to.
@Dal I agree . We do need to have faith in certain players but in form players also deserve a chance . We have the players abs quality to be successful in this group or any group . Tactics, formations , in form players please
I respect Mancio , he helped us win a Euro . I hope we use Balotelli or Scamacca up front or both .
All we can is pray, and hope Ciro can net a few to secure a win to meet Portugal!
Montipo
Calabria Romagnoli Bastoni
Tonali Barella Veratti
Berardi Balotelli Zaniolo
Might as well be a man down if we’re starting Emerson on the left
Not sure why people keep mentioning balotelli. Scammacca is in total form and immobile should be included. Zaccagni can be good insigne should not be a question Def zaniolo and pellegrini and politano along with Berardi versatile barella.
I knew this Chiellini injury was worse than they were letting on.
This is not good at all.
They should have started the World Cup Qualifying cycle with Bastoni & Mancini.
Acerbi? No, please.
I don’t know what to think of this playoff anymore. What’s up with our players? Always a half dozen players missing at a given time. Bad milk? What else can it be? Lack of toughness?
Portugal have 2 guys out. With us, always at least 6.
In a way I’m happy that the mistake Gigio made while playing for PSG occured close to these Playoffs. He knows now not to gamble with the football at his feet.
He made a bad mistake with the ball at his feet versus Switzerland in Rome in the dying minutes of that match.
Clearly this is one area he needs to improve on.
I miss the real Italia tired of watching guys running around missing chances and penalties what happened to us? We won’t qualify I think we are finished.
Balotelli? Really? Is this 2017? The guy plays in Turkey for flip sakes and not for a side I’d ever heard of.
If there are no better options than he then no point in playing.
Full back position is another problem as I don’t rate Di Lorenzo at all while Emerson is useless.
Zappacosta and lazarri are better options as the latter is really quick.
Not sure where this information is from, but Chiellini is back to training and should be good to go, Bonucci, not so much. I expect Chiellini and Bastoni at center back and I’d take Zappacosta over Emerson.
Hopefully, Insigne will be ready to go, Zaccagni is alright but not ready and the Chiesa situation is upsetting but Berardi fits the playstyle better. Immobile has a lot of confidence so I expect him to do something.
Italy’s midfield is all fit