ROME — Arsenal defender Riccardo Calafiori mentioned that Italy coach Gennaro Gattuso contacted him more frequently than his mother did over the past four months.
This highlights the level of attention Gattuso dedicated to his players between the Azzurri’s last match in November and Thursday’s World Cup playoff against Northern Ireland.
As the four-time champions strive to avoid missing a third consecutive World Cup, Gattuso traveled extensively throughout Italy and made several international trips to dine with his players and maintain team morale.
“In recent months, I heard from him more than my mother,” Calafiori stated Tuesday at Italy’s Coverciano training facility in Florence.
“During the period when I was sidelined or not playing much, he called me regularly,” Calafiori noted regarding the month from late December to late January when he was recovering from a muscle injury. “The dinner with him was fantastic. It allowed us to bond. It felt like a gathering among friends.”
Alongside Gattuso, Italy delegation chief Gianluigi Buffon and assistant coach Leonardo Bonucci — both former prominent players for Italy — were also present at the meal in London.
“Many soccer stories were exchanged, as the three of them have a wealth of experiences,” Calafiori remarked.
Capable of transitioning effortlessly between left- and center-back, the 23-year-old Calafiori played a key role in helping Bologna secure a Champions League spot before moving to Arsenal in 2024.
Now, he is focusing on minimizing Northern Ireland’s set-piece threats, having recovered from a minor injury sustained with Arsenal on Sunday.
“We must be vigilant, as they can be dangerous. Free kicks can make a significant impact. The differences between teams are narrowing in modern football,” Calafiori stated. “We also need to be cautious with loose balls.”
Having established himself as a regular with Italy, Calafiori is still working on regaining his fitness after a month off, following a strong start to the season as a consistent member of Arsenal’s starting lineup.
However, he is not guaranteed a starting position at Arsenal currently, as Piero HincapiΓ© has performed well in Calafiori’s absence and retained his spot now that the Italian has returned.
While Arsenal lost to Manchester City in the English League Cup final on Sunday, Calafiori remains in contention to win the Premier League, with Arsenal holding a nine-point lead over City.
Calafiori has additional aspirations as well.
“Qualifying for the World Cup has been a childhood dream of mine, so I am eager to play this match,” he expressed.
In addition to defeating Northern Ireland at home in Bergamo on Thursday, Italy will also need to overcome either Wales or Bosnia and Herzegovina away next week to secure a spot in the upcoming tournament in North America.
The Azzurri faced elimination in the playoffs for the last two World Cups against Sweden and North Macedonia, respectively.
“We need to approach it as if it were a regular match,” Calafiori said. “We understand how crucial it is.”
Information from The Associated Press was utilized in this report.
