JAKARTA - Italy captain Giorgio Chiellini says the Azzurri don't need to do anything extraordinary to qualify for the World Cup finals in Qatar. They also do not need to push themselves to reach the same level as when they won the European Cup last year.
Italy host North Macedonia in a World Cup play-off semi-final on Thursday after failing to qualify automatically in November just four months after winning Euro 2020.
#Nazionale La rifiniture degli #Azzurri🔜 Domani, ore 20.45, #ItaliaMacedoniadelNord❗️#Qatar2022 #VivoAzzurro pic.twitter.com/B44aXeNYWB
— Nazionale Italiana ️⭐️⭐️⭐️ (@Azzurri) March 23, 2022
Italy failed to qualify for the World Cup in Russia four years ago for the first time since 1958. Chiellini is confident his team will not fail for the second time in a row.
"We don't need to do anything extraordinary, there's nothing we don't know how to do. The atmosphere tomorrow will be very good, we all really want to play," said the Juventus defender, quoted by Reuters on Thursday.
"We need humility, but it's nothing extraordinary to repeat a win at Wembley (in the Euro 2020 final). If we play like we always do, then we will reap the rewards."
Italy coach Roberto Mancini asked his team to focus on Thursday's match.
"As Chiellini said, we just need to concentrate on what we need to do: Italy knows how to play football well and we need to think about the pitch more than anything else," said Mancini.
#Nazionale Le parole del capitano Giorgio #Chiellini alla vigilia di #ItaliaMacedoniadelNord#Qatar2022 #Azzurri #VivoAzzurro pic.twitter.com/BPP4xRnvLa
— Nazionale Italiana ️⭐️⭐️⭐️ (@Azzurri) March 23, 2022
Mancini added playing in packed stadiums after Italy's COVID-19 rules were lifted last week would benefit his team.
The winner of the match Italy against North Macedonia will face the winner of the match Portugal versus Turkey in the final play-off.
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