Building an Azzurri squad for 2022

24th 26th and 29th. Or do 24th, 27h and the 30th. Push it another day since the draw is on the first.

 

I'd say no re-draw, actually looking forward to Italy vs Portugal. Whatever they decide, time is very, very limited.

 

Ridiculous that the #6 (Italy) and #8 (Portugal) ranked teams in the world were put into the same bracket. The logical thing to have done, which of course FIFA did not follow) is to seed the teams 1-12 based on FIFA ranking, and put teams seeded 1-3 into different groups.

Group 1: Seeds 1 (Italy) vs 12, 6 vs 7
Group 2: Seeds 2 (Portugal) vs 11, 5 vs 8
Group 3: Seeds 3 vs 10, 4 vs 9

FIFA is just dense sometimes (oftentimes, actually). Infuriating. They'll likely just give Poland a bye into the group final because logistically it's too late to scramble the draw (travel plans, reservations, tickets, etc).

 

They can make time and dates at seasons end.

Remember last season Serie A 2020-2021 where they began play only 3 weeks after the previous one finished?

The reason then was because of Covid so I'm sure they can find another excuse for this current state of war.

I'm not saying I'm really for something like that but if they wanted to, they could do it.

Of course that is all up to FIFA.

 

To hell with this re-draw stuff. We are the defending Euro champions and we have to enter through the front door. If we can't get by NM, Portugal we rightly have no business in the WC

 

The fact that we put ourselves in this situation is on no one but us.

 

I doubt Ukraine can or will want to field a team.

If that is the case, who will take Russia and possibly Ukraine's spots in qualifying?

 

My guess is that Poland certainly and Scotland possibly will receive byes to the finals of their respective playoff paths.

Not ideal, I know, but it is a well established principle in sport that if the opponent is disqualified or unable to play then the other team receives a bye.

We should get an indication by next week because Spartak Moscow were due to play in the UEL round of 16 and we expect UEFA;s decision on that shortly.

 

UEFA gave RB Leipzig a bye to the UEL quarter-finals.

20220228_circular_2022_10_en.pdf (uefa.com)

 

Champions League is one thing (with long breaks in-between games), but it is extremely unfair that Sweden and Czech Republic will play on March 24, and then only five days later they will have to play a fresh Poland team who got a bye. I doubt FIFA will allow that. Clearly there will be no re-draw, as time has basically run out. But I expect FIFA to announce a replacement team on Monday to face Poland on the 24th. Remember that when Yugoslavia were kicked out in the 1992 Euro, Denmark were the replacement team, and they won the whole thing....

I think Ukraine will figure out a way to play Scotland. It will be a powerful statement to make to the world.....

 

Can the Ukrainian Federation at this point even assemble the national team in the middle of all out war?

I can’t recall reading of any national teams playing during WW1 or WW2. Not England, France, Germany or Italy.

I remember reading the Serie A was split in half with a north and south division but azzurri were dormant from the 1938 World Cup win until like 1946-47.

Then the Superga air tragedy depleted the Grande Torino squad that had 9 national team players and they started anew in 1950. That was when the FIGC sent a team by boat to Brazil.

 

yea it might be tough for them to field a full squad as if i remember correctly a majority of their team is domestically based aside from Malinovskyi and Yaremchuk

 

Unless it is all a smokescreen and the news reports are not real, I can’t imagine anyone training or even playing actual matches, domestic or international.

If FIFA want to grant them a sympathetic automatic WC birth come November that is another story but at this point, to have the Ukraine national team play an international game wherever would be ludicrous.

 

Yes, I forsee insurmountable problems for Ukraine to play such an important game in three weeks' time.

I have also thought about the precedent of Denmark at euro92, but I still think Poland (and Scotland) will eventually be given a bye like RB Leipzig has been given against Spartak Moscow next week.

 

Latest twist!

World Cup qualifying: Ukraine seek play-off semi-final with Scotland postponement - BBC Sport

 

FIFA could double-up the June UEFA NL game between Scotland and Ukraine as the WC playoff semi-final as well. The problem would be when to schedule the final against Wales or Austria.

 

FIFA likey to award Ukraine world cup trophy in solidarity with Ukrainian people.

 

Just go away already, no one gives af about your tinfoil conspiracies

 

Poland are given a by. FIFA just announced it.

• Match between Scotland and Ukraine to be rescheduled for June
  
  
• Poland given bye to Path B final, where they will play either Sweden or Czech Republic
  

https://www.fifa.com/tournaments/me...rning-fifa-world-cup-qatar-2022-tm-qualifiers

 

That should read Scozia-Ucraina.

 

Scamacca with another bullet header today.

6 goals in his last 8. Hope Mancini is taking notes

 

Scamacca will be in the squad no doubt but I can't imagine Mancini benching Immobile in one of the biggest set of games in his tenure. I can definitely see him as in impact sub.

 

Immobile = elimination.

It is a damning indictment of the player development system in Italy that four and a half years after the elimination by Sweden Immobile is still considered the best option in attack.

 

Mario