Federico Chiesa Sent Home by Gattuso Ahead of Italy‑Northern Ireland Play‑off
Gattuso Demands Absolute Focus
Italy head coach Gennaro Gattuso said the squad faces nervousness but stressed positivity, stating “It's undeniable that there's nervousness... Only someone without blood running through their veins wouldn't feel it. But we need to transmit a lot of positivity. There are no alibis. It's useless to think if we could have done better. The only thing we should be thinking about is Thursday's game. Forget that we've won four World Cups, two Euros and an Olympic title. For us, the only game is Thursday's.”
The Truth Behind Chiesa Leaving
Gennaro Gattuso explained that Federico Chiesa had “some minor [physical] issues and we decided that it was useless for him to stay,” adding that the player felt he wasn't up to it and the decision was made together.
Building Unity and Avoiding Whistles
The coach revealed the team held dinners across Europe to create unity, avoiding tactical talks, and moved the match to Bergamo to escape the San Siro whistles, noting “At the first errant pass you start hearing the whistles. Whereas when we played in Bergamo we got cheered at halftime when it was 0‑0.”
A Dismal Spell on Merseyside
Since his Euro 2020 heroics, Federico Chiesa has struggled at Liverpool, making just 32 appearances in the 2025‑26 season for 673 minutes, with one Premier League start and two goals, and has not played for Italy since Euro 2024.
- 32 appearances (2025‑26)
- 673 minutes played
- 1 Premier League start
- 2 goals scored
- No Italy caps since Euro 2024
“He had some minor [physical] issues and we decided that it was useless for him to stay.” – Gennaro Gattuso
