Italy coach Gennaro Gattuso has expressed that the European World Cup qualifiers have become tougher compared to the past.
Speaking at the press conference ahead of the Norway match, Gattuso said, "I won’t talk about it again. They say I’m being slaughtered there. Enough… I’ve said what I had to say."

Italy faces a crucial match against Norway tomorrow, Sunday, in the final round of Group 9. The Azzurri are currently second in the group. Despite winning six out of seven matches, this is not enough for direct qualification, putting them at risk of entering the playoffs for the third consecutive time.

Gattuso had stirred controversy after Italy’s 2-0 win over Moldova, expressing his dissatisfaction with the current qualification format, calling it "illogical." He added, "In the past, the group winner qualified directly, plus the best runner-up. Now we have 18 points and still need two more matches, it doesn’t seem fair."

The Italian coach also pointed out that European teams used to find it easier to qualify for the World Cup, while other continents, such as Africa, have increased their slots. "In 1994, only two African teams made it, today the number keeps growing," he said.

Reactions to Gattuso’s statements came quickly, with Argentine goalkeeper Emiliano Martínez defending the competitiveness of South American qualifiers: "They always play on perfect pitches, in South America there are challenges they don’t see in Europe." ⚽

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