Overview

• Italy’s World Cup qualifier against Israel is scheduled for October 14 at Udine’s Bluenergy Stadium, with Italy seeking three points to strengthen second place in Group I.
• Gattuso said the environment “is not peaceful,” predicting roughly 10,000 protesters outside and about 5,000 to 6,000 spectators inside the stadium.
• The coach described the Gaza war as heartbreaking yet emphasized that Italy must fulfill the fixture to avoid a forfeit recorded as a 3–0 defeat.
• Local organizers plan a strong security deployment around the match, and many tickets remain unsold.
• Pro‑Palestinian demonstrations in Italy have included a gathering at the national team’s training center in Florence calling for the game’s cancellation.