Jurgen Klopp reveals an apology to Sadio Mane, while Italy manager Gennaro Gattuso calls out Liverpool’s Federico Chiesa for his continued national team absence.
Gennaro Gattuso stated that the continuous absence of attacker Federico Chiesa is due to the player having a “problem,” while 1982 World Cup winner Francesco Graziani insists the Azzurri need Chiesa to maximize their chances of qualifying for next summer’s World Cup.
According to a report from Liverpool Echo, a major rift continues to dominate discussions surrounding the Italian national team regarding the persistent absence of attacker Federico Chiesa.
Chiesa, who notably scored his side’s opening goal during the Euro 2020 soccer semifinal match between Italy and Spain at Wembley stadium in London on Tuesday, July 6, 2021, has not featured for the Azzurri since June 2024.
Italy manager Gennaro Gattuso addressed the ongoing controversy, making it clear the problem does not lie with him or his staff.
Speaking to Sky Sports Italia, Gattuso stated that the media constantly pursues the topic despite his consistent attempts to reach the player.
He confirmed his consistent efforts: “You always ask me the same thing. I call Chiesa in every call-up; I always talk to him.”
Gattuso emphatically placed the onus squarely on the player, reiterating his position that the issue preventing the winger’s return is internal to Chiesa himself. The coach stressed:
“The problem is not Gattuso or his staff; he has a problem, not us. You know it well. You always ask the same thing, and I always answer the same.”
His comments reveal the deep-seated nature of the rift preventing the attacker’s reintegration.
Meanwhile, the pressure for Chiesa’s return is intensifying from external figures concerned about the squad’s quality as they seek qualification for next summer’s World Cup.
Francesco Graziani, the 1982 world champion, believes the team lacks necessary firepower. Speaking to Tuttosport, Graziani was blunt about the squad’s overall talent ceiling:
“We will qualify for the World Cup, but in this team, there are no champions,” he claimed. Graziani elaborated on his view of the current roster:
“Even though it’s made of excellent players, we are missing world-class talents such as [Alessandro] Del Piero or [Francesco] Totti.”
He concluded with a clear mandate for the national team’s future strength, stressing: “Chiesa absolutely needs to be recovered.”