Overview
- Italy finished second behind Norway and will enter the European playoffs, with a single‑leg semifinal on March 26 at home and a potential final on March 31; Thursday’s Zurich draw will determine opponents and any home advantage in the final.
- Bergamo is favored to host the home semifinal to create a tighter, louder setting, with Rome’s Olimpico under consideration should Italy draw a home final.
- Gattuso has requested a 48‑hour Coverciano mini‑camp in early February and is arranging small meet‑ups with players in Rome, Milan and London, with talks ongoing with Lega Serie A over scheduling.
- The coach plans to persist with a two‑striker setup featuring Kean and Retegui, identifies Donnarumma, Calafiori, Tonali and Kean as core pillars, and is leaning on Buffon for player outreach.
- Betting markets have turned pessimistic, pricing failure to qualify around 1.80 versus about 2.00 to advance, as possible semifinal opponents include Sweden, Northern Ireland, Romania, or the Wales–North Macedonia winner, with Sweden seen as the toughest draw.