Marco Verratti was distraught after Italy lost the World Cup play-off semi-final to North Macedonia. ‘It’s a nightmare. We had the players to challenge for the tournament.’
The Azzurri went from winning UEFA EURO 2020 last summer to failing to even qualify for the final of the play-offs, beaten 1-0 at home in stoppages by North Macedonia.
“It is difficult to understand. I think we dominated this match and we should’ve won. We had to win,” Verratti told RAI Sport.
World Cup Play-Offs | Italy 0-1 North Macedonia: Azzurri fail again
“We had to score early and get it closed off, because we were superior, we could’ve done better. This is football, it is fundamental to be clinical and ruthless. It’s just so difficult to explain. It was a nightmare.”
Verratti has already suffered one devastating blow this month with Paris Saint-Germain’s Champions League exit to Real Madrid, so seemed shaken to the core.
He was also part of the squad that failed to qualify for the 2018 World Cup, which until now was the only time other than 1958 without Italy at the main stage.
“Looking around the locker room, we had the players to challenge for the tournament itself, yet here we are talking about a disaster. It’s so tough to go from hero to zero.
“We experienced special times together and I will always be proud of my teammates. This is football, you need to score goals. We didn’t manage it, but we gave everything we had. It wasn’t enough.
“We have to ask ourselves questions now. There’s some bad luck, but you also need to make your own luck.”
We missed on the World Cup because of Jorginho and Immobile.
This is humiliation on the highest level . At least if it was basing Portugal I could understand
Against **
The coach should of changed the strikers. They could not get it done since September, what made him think these same strikers would score this time. Immobile gone, insigne gone, Jorginho gone.
This is a shameMancini should really reflect about coaching if he cannot figure out the obvious.
Immobile should not of played tonight and Balotelli should of been called up because you might as well play a 16 year old up front as Immobile isn’t going to score. We all could see the players that should big been dropped bit he didn’t dares drop them. Very sad I don’t know what to do with myself
mancini dont had tactic and joice half of the team are short player weak
goirginho weak instead close with scorer he was complaining before shot , verrati he is not international player , insenge, cmplete waek player immobille barrella, florence the biggest flop same mentality not change
note to self in my diary…
Check net updates and a monstrosity of epic proportions has just occurred! Italy fails to qualify for 2nd consecutive WC!
More than 95% of this team will never play in the World Cup. It is a failure they must endure. Mancini is too sluggish with reading the game. His attackers were lackluster and he delayed changing the tactics and personnel.
Saeid. Veratti is top quality. Superb in the Euro’s and good tonight. Italy went out as they didn’t take their chances. People have short memories. Forza Azzurri!!
Italy can’t play against organised defences. Haven’t been able to for ages. We weren’t, despite all the false media hype, the best team at the Euro’s, we were 7/10 at best, very one dimensional. This was always going to be the result. Anyone that thought we had the teeth to cut through a solid defence was fooling themselves. The best we could have hoped for was a set piece goal or a win on penalties. Shame on you all for believing in a fairytale.
Anyone else wonder how immobile makes this team and plays 70 plus minutes , terrible he should never be called to this team again ever, he stunk in the lead up to the euros he stunk in the euros he stunk in qualifying and he stunk today , Disgusting weakest part of the team. You leave Pellegrini out and Zainolo , terrible , Insigne terrible today Barella exhausted , coach gets some blame here . But for me Immobile should never be called to the national team ever!!!!!
I only blame Mancini that couldn’t figure out since the qualifications and Euros that Immobile is not on the level of Italy and that Insigne is a failure and predictable. Jorginho another mistake to add on his penalty failure, he was complaint instead of covering the ball. Donnarumma shot himself on foot by joint Paris and Italy paid for it, Macini you could have better chance playing Sirigu instead.
Man of the game is Veratti, what a player, he deserves the World Cup and I feel bad for Chiellini and Bonucci, their last chance.
people wont be ready for this discussion. but if everyone watched the euros. you would see that ital played alot better with locatelli in there over verratti.
Should have won…could have won…must have won…blah blah blah….well, you didn’t
This guy played is butt off but my God he can’t score to save his life and neither can Jorjinho. Italy needs to go to scoring school.
The reality is the team played decently overall. If Immobile could score a goal (literally ever) then we would have a totally different perception of the team. The saddest thing in my opinion is that Mancini will of course leave when he has Italy really playing great football. The midfield and the defense, to the wingers link up play is quite creative and they play nice attacking football. Really if we find a striker with any kind of talent I think we could be a Top 5 team.
I cut Berardi some slack because he at least was trying to make something happen.. Immobile was just watching Berardi all night.. and when Immobile took that shot on the edge of the box (you know the one a 5 year old could take) it was really a culmination of his entire Italy career.