ROME — Arsenal defender Riccardo Calafiori mentioned Italy coach Gennaro Gattuso referred to as him extra usually than his mom did over the past 4 months.
Which reveals simply how a lot consideration Gattuso paid to his gamers between the Azzurri’s final sport in November and Thursday’s World Cup playoff with Northern Ireland.
With the four-time champion making an attempt to keep away from lacking out on a third-straight World Cup, Gattuso traveled up and down Italy and made a number of journeys overseas to share dinners along with his gamers and sustain crew spirit.
“Over the last few months I heard from him more than my mother,” Calafiori mentioned Tuesday at Italy’s Coverciano coaching complicated in Florence.
“When I was out or not playing as much, he called me constantly,” Calafiori mentioned of the month from late December to late January when he was out with a muscle damage. “And the dinner with him was great. It gave us the chance to be together. It was like a dinner among friends.”
Besides Gattuso, Italy delegation chief Gianluigi Buffon and assistant coach Leonardo Bonucci — all former standout gamers for Italy — had been additionally on the meal in London.
“There were a lot of soccer anecdotes shared, because the three of them have plenty of those,” Calafiori mentioned.
Able to modify seamlessly between left- and center-back, the 23-year-old Calafiori helped Bologna qualify for the Champions League earlier than transferring to Arsenal in 2024.
Now he is switching his consideration to limiting Northern Ireland’s lifeless ball alternatives, after recovering from a slight knock with Arsenal on Sunday.
“We need to be aware, because they’re dangerous. Free kicks can create the difference. The margins between squads are reduced in modern football,” Calafiori mentioned. “We also need to pay attention to loose balls.”
Having turn out to be a daily with Italy, Calafiori remains to be regaining his health from his month off after starting the season as a constant member of Arsenal’s beginning 11.
He’s not a assured starter at Arsenal lately, although, with Piero Hincapié doing effectively in Calafiori’s absence and conserving his place now that the Italian is again.
While Arsenal was crushed by Manchester City within the English League Cup remaining on Sunday, Calafiori remains to be in line to win the Premier League with Arsenal main City by 9 factors.
But Calafiori has different targets, too.
“Going to the World Cup is the dream I had as a kid, so I can’t wait to play this game,” he mentioned.
Besides beating Northern Ireland at residence in Bergamo on Thursday, Italy would additionally then must defeat both Wales or Bosnia and Herzegovina away subsequent week to qualify for the upcoming event in North America.
The Azzurri had been eradicated within the playoffs for the final two World Cups by Sweden and North Macedonia, respectively.
“We need to prepare like it’s a normal game,” Calafiori mentioned. “We know how delicate it is.”
Information from The Associated Press was used on this report.
