Roberto Mancini's Position Threatened After Italy Failed To Qualify For The 2022 World Cup, FIGC President: I Hope He Stays With Us

Italy national team coach, Roberto Mancini. (Photo: Instagram @mrmancini10)

JAKARTA – President of the Italian Football Federation (FIGC). Gabriele Gravina hopes that Roberto Mancini will remain in the coach's seat after his team was confirmed not to qualify for the Qatar 2022 World Cup. Italy was eliminated after losing 0-1 to North Macedonia in the play-offs on Friday, March 25 early morning of Indonesian Western Time (WIB).

Gli Azzurri had to bury their dreams after conceding a single goal by Aleksandar Trajkovski in the 92nd minute. Sadly, this defeat occurred in front of their own supporters who packed the Stadio Renzo Barbera, Italy.

"I hope he (Roberto Mancini) will stay with us," said Gravina as quoted from the FIGC website.

"There is tremendous pain for this elimination which came in an unexpected way. However, tonight's defeat made us understand that there is something to be done in our football," continued Gravina.

Failure to appear in this year's World Cup meant that Italy did not participate in the biennial event for the second time in a row. In the previous edition in Russia in 2018, Gli Azzurri also could not take part after losing to Sweden in the play-offs.

For Mancini this failure is clearly painful because his team was the champion of last year's European Cup. Apart from that they were knocked out in front of their own fans just as they were when they failed to go to Russia four years ago.

"The European Championship is the best thing on a professional level and it is the biggest disappointment. Amazing things happen in football and tonight it happened, we did everything we could to try to win," said Mancini.

Meanwhile, Macedonia still have to fight for the Qatar World Cup against Portugal in the playoff final. Portugal itself to the final of the playoffs after beating Turkey with a score of 3-1.