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The Guardian - UK
The Guardian - UK
Sport
Nicky Bandini

What now for Italy after catastrophe of missing second World Cup in a row?

Roberto Mancini Italy North Macedonia Aleksandar Trajkovski Domenico Berardi Gabriele Gravina João Pedro Jorginho Stole Dimitrievski Italian Football Federation
Giorgio Chellini (centre) and his Italy teammates react to the dramatic defeat at home to North Macedonia that ended their hopes of reaching the Qatar World Cup.
Giorgio Chellini (centre) and his Italy teammates react to the dramatic defeat at home to North Macedonia that ended their hopes of reaching the Qatar World Cup. Photograph: DeFodi Images/Getty Images

With a swipe of his right boot, Aleksandar Trajkovski sent Italy back in time: to November 2017, their lowest moment, a nightmare that a nation has spent four and a half years trying to escape. Back then, the head of the Italian Football Federation, Carlo Tavecchio, described missing out on a World Cup as an “apocalypse”. What word could describe a repeat of the end of all things?

Roberto Mancini was without answers in the wake of Italy’s 1-0 defeat by North Macedonia on Thursday. He took the blame on himself, but more than once reached for the same phrase as he fielded questions about the match and his future: “I wouldn’t know what to say.”

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