Italy, European champion, must beat Northern Ireland and hope Switzerland does not golee

To avoid the uncertain playoffs on the way to the 2022 World Cup, and the traumatic memory of the failure of 2018, Italy will have to win in Northern Ireland on Monday, but also score as many goals as possible, and hope that Switzerland does not improve their result. against Bulgaria.

“We are going to go to the World Cup, I am convinced.” Roberto Mancini, with an optimistic gesture despite the immense disappointment, refused to give in to pessimism after the new draw (1-1) against Switzerland on Friday in Rome, after the 0-0 in the first leg.

Neither the penalty missed in the last minute nor the torrent of casualties have taken away the serenity of the coach, who took office in May 2018 on the ruins of the failed Russian World Cup qualification, for the first time in 60 years.

Although the press points out the difficulty of the trip to Northern Ireland, remembering that it was precisely in Belfast, in 1958, where Italy left their options to be in the World Cup when they lost 2-1.

Italians and Swiss, who are assured of dividing the first two places in the group, will compete at a distance for the first place, the only one that offers a direct ticket to Qatar.

La Nazionale currently has the advantage of the number of goals (+11 against +9), but also their rival is ‘a priori’ more complicated, when playing away from home, while ‘Nati’ will receive Bulgaria (both matches at 2:45 p.m. in Ecuador).

‘Two goals ahead’

If the two win, it will be the width of the score that makes the difference (and eventually the overall number of goals scored in case of equality in goal difference).

“We started with a two-goal advantage, that’s nothing. And then we will have to score in Northern Ireland the goals that we did not score ”against Switzerland, acknowledged Mancini, who also expects a“ special match ”for Bulgaria, as he already did in Italy, where he started a point against the European champion (1- 1) in September.

But Swiss coach Murat Yakin expects no less from the Northern Ireland, who had also neutralized Nati (0-0): “We will do our best, we hope that Northern Ireland will do the same. Rebounding those two goals from a disadvantage is difficult but feasible, “he encouraged on Friday.

But before thinking about chaining the goals, in the absence of their best scorer Ciro Immobile, injured, Italy will have to think about winning, which they have done recently since the Eurocup: only two victories, by three draws and a defeat against Spain (2-1 ) in the Nations League, which ended a record series of 37 straight games in October without losing.

Jorginho in low hours

With less magic than in the European Championship, it is difficult for Italy to create games and chances. Some difficulties related to the bad moment that Jorginho is going through, less decisive and above all author of two mistakes from the penalty spot against Switzerland (one in the first leg and another in the second leg, in the 90th minute) that can be expensive.

The Chelsea midfielder, cited after the European Championship as a possible candidate for the Ballon d’Or, “continues to be a fundamental player,” says Mancini, without ensuring that he will be in charge of taking the next penalty.

Jorginho is not the only concern for Mancini, who above all needs goals. With Andrea Belotti in the recovery phase and far from making Immobile forget at the top, Italy lacks forwards with goals.

With no goals and no victory on Monday, the play-off will likely be what awaits Italy in March, with the bad memory of the elimination against Sweden that deprived Azzurra of going to the last World Cup. (D)