The Divine Ponytail finds it not divine at all that Azzurri won't see the World Cup
Reading Time: 3min | Fri. 03.06.22. | 11:15
Roberto Baggio claims Italy should have got a 'green card' for the Qatar tournament just for being continental champions
There are probably like three things every Italian adores - mama, spaghetti and football. And if you offend any of those or ruin it for them, you'll find out how frustrating and furious that Mediterranean passion can be.
Mama and spaghetti aside, for now, football is going through a genuine rollercoaster at the Apennine, as Azzurri firstly triumphed at the EURO 2020 before suffering a dreadful elimination in the 2022 WC Qualifiers playoffs. And that shocking loss to North Macedonia minnows hurts not only Roberto Mancini's squad but the entire football-obsessed nation of 60 million people.
And one of them - a much-loved Roberto Baggio, who missed the decisive penalty in the finals shootout at the 1994 WC - has raised his voice. To, believe it or not, lament over the fact Italy was not rewarded with a 'green card' for the upcoming WC!?
He thinks they deserve it due to the fact they're the current European champions.
"Italy won the European Championship. It's a shame and madness that it didn't automatically win a place at the World Cup," the famous Divine Ponytail told Gazzetta dello Sport.
"Anyone can lose a game against any team when they have a bad day, but these guys deserve some kind of reward for what they achieved, right? If I were part of that team, it would be very painful for me to accept that fact."
FRI: 19.00: (1.45) TOGO (4.20) ESWATINI (8.00)
In theory, Italy still have some chances of reaching the World Cup. The possibility will exist if it turns out that the Ecuadorian national team falsified the paperwork of one of its football players during the qualifiers. According to the FIFA ranking list, the Azzurri are closer to getting in their place than any other European team, but there is a belief that another South American selection should replace the Ecuadorians.
FRI: 22.00: (1.37) IVORY COAST (4.60) ZAMBIA (9.50)
"I think that Italy suffered psychological consequences due to the dropout. It is clear that the problem is psychological. We saw it clearly last night. The calmness and self-confidence of the Argentines were incomparable in relation to the mental state of our guys, "the 55-year-old former football ace concluded after Argentina battered the Italians in the 'Finalissima'.
UEFA NATIONS LEAGUE
LEAGUE A, ROUND 1
Group 4
Wednesday
Poland - Wales 2-1 (0-0)
/Kaminski 72, Swiderski 85 - Williams 52/
Friday
21.45: (2.35) Belgium (3.40) Netherlands (3.25)
Group 1
Friday
21.45: (2.20) Croatia (3.30) Austria (3.70)
21.45: (1.75) France (3.70) Denmark (5.40)
Group 2
Thursday
Czech R. - Switzerland 2-1 (1-1)
/Kuchta 11, Sow 58 (og) - Okafor 44/
Spain - Portugal 1-1 (1-0)
/Morata 25 - Horta 82/
Group 3
Saturday
19.00: (10.0) Hungary (4.50) England (1.42)
21.45: (2.60) Italy (3.30) Germany (2.90)
***odds are subject to change
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UEFA NATIONS LEAGUE
LEAGUE C, ROUND 1
Thursday
Georgia - Gibraltar 4-0 (2-0)
/Kvaratskhelia 12, Kashia 33, MIkautadze 87, Quazaihsvili 88/
Cyprus - Kosovo 0-2 (0-0)
/Berisha 65, Zhegrova 78/
Bulgaria - Macedonia 1-1 (1-0)
/Despodov 13 - Ristovski 50/
N.Ireland - Greece 0-1 (0-1)
/Bakasetas 39/
Friday
17.00: (2.60) Kazakhstan (2.95) Azerbaijan (3.00)
21.45: (5.40) Belarus (3.60) Slovakia (1.70)
Saturday
19.00: (3.40) Lithuania (2.95) Luxembourg (2.40)
21.45: (1.12) Turkey (9.00) Faroe I. (20.0)
***odds are subject to change
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