Italy must beware Israel's quality in a match that could secure a World Cup playoff berth, coach Gennaro Gattuso said on Monday, vowing not to repeat the errors that turned last month's meeting into a frantic end-to-end game.
With a 3-1 win in Estonia last week, Italy boosted their hopes of finishing second in Group I and will face Israel on Tuesday in the northern Italian city of Udine.
Norway top the group with 18 points from six games, while Gattuso's side have 12 points with a match in hand on their rivals. They are three points clear of Israel, who, after Tuesday's clash, have only one game left to play, compared with the Azzurri's two.
The group winners qualify directly for the World Cup with the runners-up going into the playoffs.
"They'll throw everything at it and will surely play on the front foot. From midfield up, with their quality, they can cause us problems," Gattuso told a news conference.
Gattuso will be without striker Moise Kean, forced off injured against Estonia, and suspended defender Alessandro Bastoni.
Four-time world champions Italy are looking to return to football's showpiece tournament for the first time since 2014, having missed two editions in a row in what was seen as a disaster for the soccer-mad country.
Gattuso's predecessor, Luciano Spalletti, who was sacked in June following a heavy defeat by Norway, said on Sunday he was impressed by the team's turnaround and was sure Gattuso would achieve what he wanted from the team.
Gattuso thanked Spalletti but said World Cup qualification was still far from being achieved and he had not even discussed a potential playoff with the players.
"The only sure thing is death; everything else has to be earned, you have to work for it," he said.
HIGH SECURITY
The World Cup qualifier will be played under tight security as a pro-Palestinian march will go ahead on the day of the game in the city centre, even after Israel and militant group Hamas agreed a deal to end the war in Gaza.
"I hope (peace) will last forever. There is nothing worse than what we have seen in the last two years," Gattuso said.
Organisers expect up to 10 000 people to attend the march, which will take place several kilometres away from the stadium, located in Udine's northern outskirts. Over 9 000 people have bought tickets for the match, the Italian soccer federation said.
Many residents and shopkeepers in Udine are confident there will not be trouble, but others fear violent elements could infiltrate the demonstrations, as has happened elsewhere in Italy in recent weeks.
"I haven't decided yet whether to stay open. I'm afraid they might cause some damage," said Francesco Ursic, who runs a kitchenware shop.
