Italy CT Roberto Mancini admitted it ‘could have been a better’ draw for the Azzurri, but stressed they are ‘confident and positive’ ahead of the World Cup 2022 play-offs in March.
The Azzurri are drawn North Macedonia at home in the semi-final of the play-off and will play the winner of Turkey or Portugal away in the Final.
Italy are thus facing a tough task to book a place at Qatar 2022, and Mancini admitted it was a difficult draw for the Nazionale.
World Cup Qualifiers | Play-off draw: Italy face North Macedonia and potentially Portugal
“It could have been a little better, that’s true,” Mancini told RAI2. “It’s clear that both us and Portugal have to beat Macedonia and Turkey.
“It’s one leg, which always provides difficulties. We are confident and positive, especially in the slightly more difficult moments.”
The first match is at home against North Macedonia and will be played in Rome.
“We had a great qualifying group. Even against Switzerland we deserved to win and yet we didn’t,” Mancini said. “We’ll have to play a great match, then we’ll see in the Final.”
Cristiano Ronaldo has played in nine consecutive Finals between the European Championships and the World Cups, but Italy must stop the superstar to get a chance to participate next year.
“We would have gladly avoided them and they would probably want to avoid us too,” Mancini continued. “We will play a possible Final against them.”
Joao Pedro has been linked with a possible call-up by the Italian national team, but Mancini didn’t want to reveal anything.
“It’s such a recent thing, we’ll see,” he said. “We have good players.
“Joao Pedro is an excellent striker, he knows Italian football. But let’s not forget what the lads did four months ago.”
‘Italy or Ronaldo’ | social media reactions to play-off draw
Mancini guided the Azzurri all the way in the European Championship over the summer and hopes to see the same performances in March.
“Those spells are only found in those moments there, when you are together for a while,” he said. “It will be important to have all the players available.”
Jorginho missed two decisive penalty against Switzerland and there has been a discussion about who should get the responsibility next time, but Mancini was coy when asked who will take the next penalty for the Azzurri.
“We hope they’ll give it to us.”
No excuses, No alibi’s.
Just atone for the error and be done with it.
I think it would easier to win the World cup……!!! Playing away in final as well. Maybe if we naturlise more Brazilian and have all 11 we might have a chance……!!! Well….let’s start preparing for 2026…….!!!
@The Queens Half Corgi SPOT ON
We’re fucked.
I blame politics for this positioning. Fifa separating Russia and Ukraine has to be the reason these two are being setup for a duel in Lisbon. Well, let’s see what happens in the first matches.
Yeah, here I was thinking it was only 20% each to avoid Turkey and Portugal but with that Russia/ Ukraine dispute it increased it more.
Having said all that, it could have been even worse if we were Portugal.
At least North Macedonia is easier than Turkey.
No way will we qualify,
I blame Mancini by sticking to his favourites
Mancini did say after the Swiss draw that Italy would qualify for WC
he’s not looking very confident now,
He’s now thinking what a mess we got ourselves into. from a comfortable position in September before Bulgaria fame
Firstly by picking Florenzi against Bulgaria and then not changing PK taker
yep. it could have been a lot better if You 👆Mancini got the Azzurri qualified directly & avoid the palyoffs! it will be difficult in both games! but I believe the players will make it happen & qualify.
This is fully deserved! They only have themselves to blame now they have to go to Portugal away to make the World Cup . Ya that ain’t happening not against Ronaldo and pepe who always plays well against Italian teams . What a joke this team is Greece 2004 basically is what they are
Italy will poop there pants
I agree Milan fan were fucked. Just amazes me how teams like England get these piss easy draws every international tournament but Italy get shafted with tricky groups. I believe Italy can beat everyone but there not super human. We always seem to get a team or 2 in our qualifying groups of equal quality to us and we have come through some tough qualification groups before, the last time we had Croatia in our group and did well. Still think we get shafted in qualifying group draws.
I think the Draw was probably rigged. But it is also a good Opportunity to end C. Ronaldo’s International Career.
Stop complaining. Support the boys and show some confidence. We wjll
Be in the world cup. We are the euro
Champions.. show some
Balls
All Italy needed to avoid this Fiasco was to score just one more Goal, in *any one* of their first three Drawn Qualifiers. They could not.
That’s it.
Mr. Mancini is too attached to the lads that won the euros. However, what he has failed to realize is that most of these lads have really dropped in form.
So there is a need to bring in fresh legs, juggle the team a little with likes of Joao Pedro, Calabria, Dimarco, Ferrari, Calabresi, Tonali, Darmian, Rovella, Parisi, Frattesi, Zappacosta, Castrovilli, Giovani Simeone, Caprari, Nicola Sansone.
Portugal are nothing great. They were very poor in the group phase
First they have to beat Macedonia, they couldn’t beat N Ireland when they had to. The magic from the Euro’s is gone. They need an overhaul.
Pick the inform players and play like it’s a spot to a Major Final along with reputation at stake!! Forza Azzurri 🇮🇹👍👊🍀
Portugal stinks like a rotted chorizo! No way they can beat us even with 11 roided ronaldos.
Hopefully theres a Brazilian we can make italian in time who can score a goal for us???
Hopefully Pepe gets a Red Card versus Turkey.
Don’t me down bro !
Ha! @Milan fan. Such a crude and simple statement, yet it sound’s somewhat poetic under these circumstance’s! Why the heck have Italy been drawn against Portugal/Turkey + why are they away from home in the Final? That is insane! Do those S.O.B’s at FIFA really want Qatar there rather than Portugal or Turkey? And as for Italy, first Switzerland and now this, Italy have had the toughest draw AGAIN. That said, we all know that FIFA/UEFA are corrupt + sail tournament’s to where the money is, while also hiding behind that “emerging nations” political correct crap! Yeah, that’s why Wembley got most of the Euro games? Well, poor example, as England do play like an underdeveloped football nation sometimes? But it’s still in Italy’s hands. My head’s 50/50 whether they’ll still get there but I’ll always back them + my Heart still say’s that they will. It didn’t guide me wrong in the Euro’s either. I knew after the 1/2 Final’s, especially after the 2nd that Italy were gonna win it! I felt it in my gut + heart. But they’ll need to be at their best now + will need that bit of luck, which has deserted them recently, too. It can’t go like last time, if it does, then Italy must owe some serious Karmic debt to the footballing Deities somehow! As fans all we can do is put our best energy in to helping them. Italy will qualify, say it with intent, shout it, whether you’re on the way to work or sat on the toilet doing whatever number. Mean it too! Not in an arrogant way, just in a heartfelt one! 💙⚽️🚀🌍
Thanks for that all too brief comment House Party
It’s a long way off, but if Italy do get Portugal, it might be worth taking into consideration that they really struggled against Germany + Belgium in the Euros, both of whom were playing with a back 3 I believe! Usually I’d say that Italy just go and do their thing but with the struggles up front recently it may be worth changing? I know full well that Mancio knows better than me though. So we’ll see? However, let’s go Italy. To the World Cup that is!
You’re welcome @Peter. Ha! You’re right too. That is quite a brief comment by my standards. It’s difficult to pinpoint how they’ve managed to get into this position again though! But I do hope they can make it! : )
oluwaseun awofodu it’s bit late to juggle the team around now. How can we go into a play-off n start experimenting.
I mean those complaining he picked the same players etc etc. Who really could he have picked that was going to be any different. Listing a bunch of players who probably get even less game time than the players he currently uses.
Winning Euros is the best and worst thing that could have happened. It of course brings Azzurri ‘back’ but it has masked the problem with Serie A and the lacknof italian talent coming through the ranks. With top clubs buying ready made talent for all over the globe.
Gonna be a tough play-off I’m afraid
If we qualify, the 4 UNL matches in June MUST be used for experimenting.
Either experimenting for the World Cup or experimenting for Euro 2024 Qualifiers.
This is gut-check time.
Saw this coming – another poor draw. The Euro run was a ‘moment’ of magic and the Azzurri will need more than spirit to come good. The current Portugal roster with a more sophisticated coach would run wild against most teams… but they are keeping Santos. Italy go through on penalties
This is awful but typical of UEFA and FIFA. We are left with a prospect of a world cup without Italy or Portugal.
Apart from CR7 there is Joao Felix, Bernado Silva, Jota, Cancelo, Dimas etc that may not play in the world cup.
Not to mention some of the excellent players Italy has but just as important it is a football powerhouse.
Do we really need groups that have teams like Andorra and San Marino competing against England?
There is the prospect of Scotland, Austria, Ukraine or Wales playing in the finals. With respect who cares as only Bale at his best and Alaba deserve a world cup stage.
Russia v Poland
Sweden v Czech Republic the hell is this? Apart from Lewandowski and to a lesser extent a 40 year old Ibra who cares for these players and teams?
It is not an isolated issue either as this happens not just to Italy but Italian teams. Most groups of death tend to involve an Italian side.
Okay this time around Italy were in a relatively easy group compared to other years and really should have won it .
If they do meet Portugal in the final they need to find goals from somewhere as Portugal are not lacking in goals they just have a donkey as a manager.
New blood can work. Pessina in the Euros is a prime example. He wasn’t even meant to be there. Failure is often the result of stagnation! New players, especially if they’re in-form like Roy said, are often hungrier and keen to prove their worth. They want to break in to the set-up + not let their new teammate’s down. I agree that the team formation can stay somewhat settled though. As the strength of the Euros, was that Italy could change the players + they’d seamlessly fit in. There wasn’t much of a drop off in quality, with the exception of Spina, as he was/is exceptional. But a tweak to a 3-5-2 could work as well, they’ve already played that formation before, including in the Holland home draw + also finished with that formation in the 3-0 Swiss match too. If the 1/2 is in Rome, then Ciro looks more confident there, but let’s see in March, which of the strikers are performing.
House Party,
Yes, the R2 match will be in Rome. Already announced. Ciruzzo will be fine for this match.
Oluwaseun Awofodu,
Just a correction. Giovanni Simeone is Argentine and is cap-tied to them. For sure if he was Italian he’d be on the team.
You know, about Spina.
A lot of people are not happy with Insigne these days. Nor should they be.
But remember how flawlessly he played when he had Spina behind him in the first 4.5 Matches at the EC? Spina would make runs behind him and they would have a great interchange.
Spina was so much a part of our Attack at EC despite his position in the Pitch. Be it his 2 MOTM, his Assist to Chiesa versus Austria. The man was on the Team of the Tournament despite missing the last 2.5 matches and all the while Luke Shaw was excellent for England.
Spina will be back soon and when the end of March comes will be in mid-season form.
– He will give us an upgrade from Emerson.
– Fastest player for us.
– Joins and most times leads the Attack.
– Will get LoLo Insigne going with their interchanges on the Left.
There is no excuse for this. Let’s not be blaming draws or FIFA. The fact is that they had the opportunity to lock in their position and did not do it. A few times!
Clearly, if they’re missing a few key midfield players, everyone else is not 100% on top of their game, and the fact that they have no real #9, this team struggles.
And no matter how shit you think any team is, this is a one and done – everyone will be up for this!!
100% by design, guaranteed,
absolutely amazing how Italy are being deliberately shafted again, Italy has to play the toughest possible opponent at their home again, Italy beat the English in their home despite England being given all home games bar one and massive crowd support hopefully can do it again, the draws are so obviously rigged its beyond a joke… look at how England always get super easy draws… not just once or twice but every single time… its a joke.
It’s simple we don’t make World Cup sack coach , get new one win Euros 2024 . Looks like a patten lol
Joao Pedro are we serious Change the fckn rules and bring in real itaIians what is so complicated everyone talking this or that instead start complaining about the FIGC and the rotten Italian political system that has led to this juncture this is the classic fish stinks from head and everyone going along with it is complicit in this tragedy.
My head says we will get there but my heart is telling me these are the type of games we mess up.
Not sure why Mancini had to tell everyone he’d prefer not to play Portugal, hugely tempting fate.
The Italian in me wants to shout fix but both teams only have themselves to blame.
Also didn’t like the dismissive way North Macedonia were treated during the draw, do they not know Italy’s history against so called minnows.
Hoping by March at least half the squad is in some kind of form.
Another thing Mancini said that maybe he shouldn’t was focusing on the tricky nature of one off games, is he looking for us to get a player sent off? Only needs a dodgy ref to sink us or another Bonucci show of indiscipline.
Hopefully this is the last World Cup where we need to worry about qualifying as it will be a 100 team tournament played every year in space by the time the next one comes around.
Do not despair, we will raise our game against Portugal if that is the scenario.
Watching Juve vs Atalanta.
Heavens forbig if Calabria is not available for the Playoffs, Toloi MUST be preferred over DiLorenzo.
Or even used as CB if Chiellini or Bonucci aren’t available. (he can do that too)
Definitely needs to be ahead of Acerbi