Italy out, La Russa brings up Bonucci

Italy is out of the World Cup for the third consecutive edition: after the dramatic match in Zenica against Bosnia, the usual sequence of reactions was unleashed for yet another failure of the national team, which last participated in the rainbow review back in 2014. Also having his say was Senate President Ignazio La Russa, who also pointed the finger at the choice of having the very young Pio Esposito take the first penalty kick, which sent the ball into the sky.

“We are not going to the World Cup. We cheered, we hoped, we railed against a couple of questionable refereeing decisions, we were even surprised that incredibly they sent the youngest to take the FIRST penalty kick (did Gattuso decide it or perhaps a cocky Bonucci?). But on second thought, in our hearts we feared it or rather knew it. Laughing now as we think – and not as of today – would be useless more than ungenerous. But to everything there is a limit,” he wrote on X.

FIFC president Gabriele Gravina did not resign and instead confirmed Gennaro Gattuso. Filtering from several quarters is the hypothesis of a commissioner of the Federation: in his place could come Giovanni Malagò, current number one of the Coni.

“I have finished talking now to the team, I can only thank this group of boys – said Gattuso in a press conference -. I had not seen a national team like this for years. It hurts but we have to accept it. I don’t want to talk about referees, we could have scored the second goal and we suffered. I am proud of these guys, it hurts to accept such an epilogue’. It needs time, it’s a big blow. I told my boys I am very proud.”

“We deserved a different ending for how they lived these 7/8 months with the staff, with president Gravina, with Buffon. I’m sorry but soccer has to be accepted. There is tanata bitterness and disappointment, on my part and I am very sorry that for the third time we are not going to the World Cup. This makes me feel bad, I would have given anything, even money to be able to win the goal. There is so much bitterness.”