Gattuso: ‘Apologies to Italy fans, team must not get scared’

Gennaro Gattuso apologised to the Italy fans after a 4-1 drubbing at the hands of Norway, admitting the team ‘gets scared’ and must change this attitude for the World Cup play-offs.

The Azzurri knew that even a victory would be insufficient to top the group, as they required a 9-0 result to overturn the huge gap in goal difference.

Nonetheless, it felt important to take revenge for June’s 3-0 defeat in Oslo, which prompted the dismissal of coach Luciano Spalletti, and keep the winning streak going for the new boss.

Instead, the 4-1 defeat was humiliating and painful, throwing away the Francesco Pio Esposito opener with a dismal second half showing with an Erling Haaland brace, Antonio Nusa and Jorgen Strand Larsen goals.

“We first and foremost have to apologise to our fans, because 4-1 is a heavy result,” Gattuso told RAI Sport.

“It’s a pity, as the first half was very good, we were a real team, but the biggest disappointment is that the second half was not up to those standards.

“Congratulations to Norway, but we start again from the first half, where we did what we were meant to do, then we struggled a lot after the break.”

What happened to provide such a very different performance in the second half when Italy seemed to be in control?

“We lost our shape, as in the first half we were pressing in the right way, but then we started to lose the ball a bit too cheaply, give Norway some space to play in. We lost the ball, misplaced passes and got pushed back, that’s what happened,” replied Gattuso.

Now Italy go on a break and won’t be back together until a few days before the World Cup play-off semi-final on March 26, with hopes that they will also be able to play the final on March 31 and book their place at the tournament.

“We have to build on the first half, when we were solid, in the right positions, but as soon as the opponents create a chance, we start to get scared. That is where we have to change and improve, we got frightened.”