Estonia ‘studied Gattuso’ teams to prepare for new Italy in 2026 World Cup qualifier

Gennaro Gattuso is going to make his debut on the Italy bench, but Estonia coach Jurgen Henn has been ‘studying’ his last two club teams to make some predictions.

The World Cup qualifier kicks off at the Stadio di Bergamo on Friday at 19.45 UK time (18.45 GMT).

As this is the first time Gattuso has worked with the Nazionale, there are few expectations on the tactical system or approach that he will use.

“We examined a lot of the material from the previous club sides that Gattuso worked at, so we’ve been studying him,” Estonia coach Henn said in his press conference.

“We tried to draw some conclusions or even make predictions on what to expect. The Azzurri have a very versatile squad at their disposal, and it is difficult to say 100 per cent what kind of approach to expect tomorrow.

“I think we’ll be up against a very determined and fired up team, one that is very difficult to overcome.”

Gattuso brings changes to Italy

This is a must-win game for Italy, who had a rough start to the 2026 World Cup qualifying campaign, beaten 3-0 in Norway and then earning a 2-0 victory over Moldova.

Those were under previous coach Luciano Spalletti in June, performances that prompted his dismissal and the arrival of new boss Gattuso.

As for Estonia, they lost three of their four opening fixtures, interrupted by a 3-2 victory away to Moldova in March.

“We have reason to be confident in the sense that individually we are not comparable to Italy, but if we play the way we did against Norway and Israel, with that kind of team spirit, then it is possible to make life very difficult for the Azzurri,” continued Henn.

“We are encouraged by those moments when Estonia showed no fear for any opponent. I too as a coach have experience taking over a team where results are needed immediately, but we don’t expect any kind of advantage from the pressure on Italy. They remain one of the best teams in the world.”