Milan & Italy legend Baresi: ‘Gattuso is among the least responsible for the defeat’

Legendary AC Milan defender and former Italy captain, Franco Baresi, urged Italian football to undertake a thorough self-assessment after the national team's third successive World Cup exit. Concurrently, he stepped forward to defend coach Gennaro Gattuso against much of the backlash. Speaking to Adnkronos following Italy's penalty shootout loss to Bosnia on Wednesday, Baresi acknowledged unfortunate game incidents but stressed that the underlying issues run deeper than any single match or individual coach.

Baresi: ‘Italian football must do a ‘mea culpa’, Gattuso not to blame’

Baresi highlighted crucial moments that hindered Italy's performance, specifically mentioning Alessandro Bastoni’s first-half red card, which forced the team to play with ten men for most of the game. "Yesterday's match featured incidents that negatively impacted our team," Baresi stated. "However, Italy cannot continue reaching the final qualification stages only to struggle. The entirety of Italian football must engage in a 'mea culpa,' as the results of the past two decades, with the sole exception of the European Championship victory, are undeniable."

Despite his extensive critique of the system, Baresi was notably supportive of Gattuso. He remarked, "Over these months, he poured his heart and soul into the role, and I believe he performed commendably given the limited time he had." Baresi added, "Regrettably, it wasn't enough. It's not my place to decide his future, but he is undoubtedly among the least culpable for this defeat." This perspective sharply contrasts with some of the broader criticisms leveled against the coaching staff since Wednesday evening, indicating a belief that Italy's struggles stem from systemic issues rather than individual shortcomings.