Northern Ireland manager Michael O’Neill has said that Thursday’s World Cup play-off in Italy is “a big opportunity and it’s important we don’t waste it”.
With 57 places in the world rankings between the sides, Italy will be favourites to win the semi-final in Bergamo, but the four-time winners have not qualified for a World Cup since 2014.
The winner on Thursday will then travel to either Wales or Bosnia-Herzegovina for a shot at joining Canada, Switzerland and Qatar in Group B at the finals.
If Northern Ireland can qualify, it would be a first World Cup appearance in 40 years.
“The important thing for us is to play the game and not think about what’s at stake,” O’Neill said in his pre-match press conference on Wednesday evening.
“The expectation clearly lies with the home nation and the big nation, which is Italy.
“We have to not be intimidated by the reputation of the players that they have, and I don’t think we will be.
“We have a lot of young players who are going on an upward trajectory in their careers, and tomorrow night is just another step.”
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In a squad update, O’Neill said he was “optimistic” that midfielder Ali McCann would be fit for the game after the midfielder missed Preston’s final match before the international window with an ankle injury.
O’Neill added that his young squad, the majority of which will be playing the biggest games of their careers against Gennaro Gattuso’s side, will have “no fear”, and said quotes from the Italian media have helped him get that message across.
“It is important that we are aware of emotional side of the game for the opponent as well.
“We’ve discussed that with the players and we’ve thankfully been able to lift some quotes from your own [Italian] media that we’ve been able to use to demonstrate the pressure that the players are under, so thank you for that.
“But, at the end of the day, that’s a little bit of a sideshow. The game will be played over 90 minutes and possibly longer.
“How they deal with all that will be a big factor in the game and hopefully we can make the game very difficult.”
‘Tonali set to be fit for Italy’
Key midfielder Sando Tonali is expected to be fit for Italy despite missing Newcastle United’s derby loss by Sunderland on Sunday.
Inter Milan defender Alessandro Bastoni is still a doubt for the game but he played a small role in training, but Gattuso says striker Gianluca Scamacca “is a little further behind”.
In his press conference, World Cup winner Gattuso brought up Northern Ireland’s style of play and said Italy will have to adapt to a “direct approach” from O’Neill’s side.
In response, O’Neill said “we don’t consider any of that” when it came to setting his team up.
“They really believe a great deal in what they’re doing, with the second balls and they like to play direct, vertical football,” Gattuso said.
“They are certainly a team that when they get players into the box, both with crosses and from dead ball situations, they’re incredible.”
Gattuso went on to acknowledge the running power and energy in Northern Ireland’s team but said being direct was “their main skill set” and it is “where they will cause us the most problems”.
“I haven’t seen a team that’s necessarily going to be keeping the ball and dragging you out of position in the middle of the park.
“They play very direct and everything that they do, they do it in an impressive fashion.”
