Overview

• Gattuso said direct World Cup qualification is a mirage and set beating Israel as the step to lock down second place and a playoff spot.
• He hailed the Gaza ceasefire, saying "Viva la pace" and calling images of people returning home emotional.
• He warned of demonstrations near the venue but projected 10–11 thousand fans inside, with ticket presales already above 9,000.
• Moise Kean is unlikely to be available, with the forward having dined with the squad before departing to applause for his contributions.
• Gattuso praised Pio Esposito’s "incredible numbers" and work rate and publicly thanked predecessor Luciano Spalletti as "a real man."