One Italy player trained individually ahead of Northern Ireland play-off

Gennaro Gattuso had all but one of his Italy national team players available for training on the eve of the crucial World Cup play-off semi-final against Northern Ireland in Bergamo according to the latest updates, and Alessandro Bastoni was spotted working with the group. 

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Latest updates from Italy’s on-pitch training session

Italy will host Northern Ireland at Atalanta’s New Balance Arena on Thursday evening, and the winner of that tie will go on to face either Wales or Bosnia and Herzegovina away from home on March 31: A one-legged decider for a spot at the final tournament.

Gattuso initially announced a squad of 28 players, but has already had to make an alteration following the withdrawal of Liverpool’s Federico Chiesa earlier this week. Bologna’s Nicolo Cambiaghi has been called in to replace him. 

There have been doubts surrounding the availability of Inter centre-back Bastoni heading into the Northern Ireland game, given that he has not featured since picking up an ankle injury in the Derby della Madonnina against Milan earlier in March. 

Bastoni was still running individually while the rest of his Italy teammates trained earlier this week, but according to the latest updates, the Nerazzurri defender was part of the group that trained went out to train on the New Balance Arena pitch on Wednesday evening, the night before the Northern Ireland game. 

It still remains to be seen whether he will be thrown immediately into the starting line-up against Northern Ireland on Thursday.

In fact, according to TMW, only one Italy player was not part of the group that trained on the pitch in Bergamo on Wednesday. Atalanta striker reportedly Gianluca Scamacca worked individually just before Gennaro Gattuso conducted his pre-match press conference.