The 27 players called up by Coach Gennaro Gattuso for Italy's challenges against Estonia away and Israel at home have changed due to injuries suffered by Mattia Zaccagni and Matteo Politano over the w...
The 27 players called up by Coach Gennaro Gattuso for Italy's challenges against Estonia away and Israel at home have changed due to injuries suffered by Mattia Zaccagni and Matteo Politano over the weekend.
The coach who set up his first two matches using external forwards, lost both starting players within just over 24 hours, who were lined up for the debut on September 5 at Estonia's home.
Does Gattuso change the module?
Doubts about the tactical intentions of the technical commissioner arise from the two substitutes: Roberto Piccoli and Leonardo Spinazzola, a central forward and a wing-back suitable for a 5-man midfield. It makes one wonder how, net of the certainty of the attacking tandem Moise Kean-Mateo Retegui, the National team intends to position itself on the field.
📋💙 La lista dei 27 convocati del Ct Gennaro Gattuso per le prossime sfide di qualificazione al Mondiale 🙌🏻 #Nazionale 🇮🇹 #Azzurri#VivoAzzurropic.twitter.com/o7y7ErccwZ
— Nazionale Italiana ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ (@Azzurri) October 3, 2025
The first objection that can be made to the choices is that there were few credible alternatives on the offensive flanks, but it is also true that Federico Chiesa, although sparingly used by Arne Slot, is currently in good health and has already scored two goals in this Premier League as well as providing two assists in the EFL Cup against Southampton.
Italy becoming more hybrid
If there were no doubts about the system, one would not lightly deprive oneself of such a weapon. The first alternative hypothesis is a 3-5-2, a system not too dissimilar from the one seen with Israel. While it's true that Politano played higher than Dimarco and that Tonali was often shifted to the left, it can't be said that the Newcastle player's tasks were those of a winger.
A hybrid 3-5-2, then, has been in Gattuso's plans from the beginning. The fact that, considering Di Lorenzo as a full-back, there are six defenders who can occupy the three positions is another clue that leads to this system. The wing-backs, as always, are not lacking. In fact, to Dimarco, Cambiaso and Udogie, a Leonardo Spinazzola in a state of grace is now added.
Spinazzola 𝐜𝐨𝐧𝐯𝐨𝐜𝐚𝐭𝐨 dal CT Gattuso 🇮🇹
— DAZN Italia (@DAZN_IT) October 6, 2025
👏 Inizio di stagione pazzesco al Napoli: torna in Nazionale ✅#Spinazzola#Italia#DAZNpic.twitter.com/ANwneOTsYt
However, beware of the prospect of a 4-3-1-2 with the versatile Raspadori playing between the lines. It is precisely the versatility of Jack, who at Atletico Madrid is also playing as a fourth midfielder, that keeps the 4-4-2 track alive. He could play on the left, with Orsolini for example on the right at least against the more approachable Estonia. There are many possible variations, which we can only confirm or deny during the training sessions at Coverciano while waiting for the master test of the field.
This article was translated into English by Artificial Intelligence. You can read the original version in 🇮🇹 here.
📸 ANDREAS SOLARO - AFP or licensors
Category: General Sports
