Do you remember which Italian player donned the number 8 shirt at the 2006 FIFA World Cup Germany™? It was none other than Gennaro Gattuso. In Bergamo yesterday, it was another number 8, Sandro Tonali, who helped Italy move past previous setbacks. The midfielder’s strike in the 56th minute brought a sense of calm and enthusiasm to the Azzurri, a boost that will be key ahead of their Path A play-off final against Bosnia and Herzegovina on Tuesday.
Like the rest of the Italian side, Tonali had a lacklustre first half. The Azzurri largely looked off the pace and struggled to muster up any meaningful opportunities. Northern Ireland stuck to their guns, as worry and nerves began to creep in for the Italians.
However, the second half told a completely different story. A weak clearance by the Northern Ireland defence from a Mateo Politano cross proved too inviting for Tonali, and with the whole stadium crying out for him to let fly from the edge of the box, Italy’s number 8 obliged. His classy right-foot strike found the back of the net.
But the night was far from over for Sandrino, as his former AC Milan fans used to call him. With ten minutes left on the clock, and with Northern Ireland throwing the kitchen sink at the Italy backline, Tonali found Moise Kean with a stunning through ball which Kean brought under control, before steadying himself and doubling Italy’s lead.
A goal and an assist for Italy’s midfield maestro has firmly cemented his place as Gattuso’s most in-form player at present, and echoed the form he’s shown with Newcastle this season: bags of quality, an asset in both boxes and a player with the stomach for the fight.
“The nerves were jangling a bit at the start, but we settled as the match went on,” Tonali said post-match. “After getting our noses in front, we played with far more freedom; before that, we weren’t exactly firing on all cylinders.
“On the whole, I think we played well. We’ve got to stay positive from here on out, but we’ve always had that mentality since Gattuso has been at the helm. It’s been a tough week, especially looking back on Italy’s recent history. We were on tenterhooks at first, but then we got a grip and focused on the task at hand.”
“Tonali has always treated me with the utmost respect and politeness,” his coach stated. “When he was plying his trade at Brescia, I was keen to sign him for Napoli, but Milan beat us to it. After signing on the dotted line for Milan, he gave me a ring to ask if he could wear the number 8 shirt. I was taken aback that a young lad actually called me to ask for my blessing to take my shirt number. I was a good player, but I wouldn’t say I was anything special. We’ve always had a great deal of respect for each other. I only knew how to do one thing on the pitch, whereas he can do several.”
Previously, on Italy’s official channels, Tonali shared a very special anecdote that, inevitably, tied him to Gattuso from an early age: “When I was a kid, I received a mug covered with pictures of Gattuso. I used it every day for breakfast for four or five years. Then it broke, but I carefully glued it back together, piece by piece, and it’s still going strong today.”
Italy, much like that mug, have been carefully put together after more than a decade of World Cup heartbreak, and are now one match away from returning to the tournament after 12 years away.
