In the latest round of World Cup qualifiers, European heavyweights such as Italy, Croatia, and Sweden all took to the field, drawing plenty of attention.
Gattuso Faces His Second Test as Italy Coach
For Italy, newly appointed head coach Gennaro Gattuso oversaw his second official match in charge.
In his debut, the Azzurri secured a 5-0 victory over Estonia, then ranked 126th in the world. However, due to the opponent’s limited strength, the value of this win was not particularly high.
In this round, Italy will face Israel, ranked 75th in the world, at a neutral venue in Debrecen, Hungary. Given the gap in quality between the two sides, Italy is expected to win.
Gattuso has previously coached several clubs, including AC Milan, Valencia, and Marseille, though his tenures have often been short-lived. As a manager, his only significant honour came in 2020 when he led Napoli to victory in the Coppa Italia.
Currently, Italy holds a record of two wins and one loss, collecting six points, trailing behind group leaders Norway. In Group I, Norway, led by Erling Haaland, is Italy’s main rival.
Back in June, Italy suffered a 0-3 defeat to Norway, a result that prompted the Italian Football Federation to make a managerial change.
Veteran Modrić Likely to Start for Croatia
Meanwhile, Croatia will return to their home ground in Zagreb to face Montenegro. Veteran playmaker Luka Modrić, now 39, is expected to start.
Croatia recently claimed a 1-0 win over the Faroe Islands, with striker Andrej Kramarić scoring the lone goal. Modrić came off the bench in that match, playing only the final 30 minutes.
Head coach Zlatko Dalić has the luxury of managing Modrić’s workload wisely. With three wins from three matches, Croatia is in a strong position, trailing group leaders the Czech Republic, who have already played five games, by just three points. Their qualification prospects remain highly promising.
Sweden’s Twin-Strike Question in the Spotlight
Elsewhere, Sweden will travel to Kosovo for their Group B clash. In their previous outing, Sweden drew 2-2 with Slovenia.
Coach Jon Dahl Tomasson chose not to start both Viktor Gyökeres and Alexander Isak together, instead pairing Gyökeres with the pacey Anthony Elanga. Gyökeres played the full 90 minutes and provided an assist, while Isak spent the entire match on the bench.
In the same group, Benjamin Šeško’s Slovenia will take on Switzerland away from home.
Denmark and Scotland Push for First Wins
In Group C, Denmark and Scotland will both be on the road, facing Greece and Belarus, respectively. Both teams are eager to secure their first victories to gain an advantage in the group standings.
This round of UEFA World Cup qualifiers is not only a test of Gattuso’s managerial credentials but also a measure of the squad depth and tactical choices of Europe’s traditional powerhouses.
