We’re getting ever closer to Italy vs. Switzerland and the Azzurri are continuing with their preparations at Coverciano for a game that could well decide who gets that automatic spot to reach Qatar 2022. Ciro Immobile and co will want to reach this World Cup in good form, after missing the tournament in Russia in 2018 and faltering in Brazil four years prior. “Going to the World Cup is a big end goal,” the Lazio forward said in a press conference today. “We all really want to qualify and we’re working to make it as soon as possible.” To those who ask him whether he is going to be Italy’s starting striker in Qatar, he responded, “I want to, how could I not? It’s a dream and my aim; dreams and aims have to be chased. It’s how I have always been: I dreamed of being a footballer and a striker, then of a Golden Boot and a European title. My mum always tells me that I’m headstrong and that I always want to win; it might be a negative for my wife but it’s a positive for me!”

First, however, Italy will need to beat Switzerland, if only to avoid the playoffs, which were fatal for the Azzurri’s hopes four years ago: “After the disappointment in 2017, we cannot afford to miss this one. I don’t want to go through the playoffs because I have horrible memories. It’ll be a tough game on Friday; they press high – we saw as much in the reverse fixture. We need to improve our finishing with regards to the game in Basel but the team did play well that day.”

Immobile hasn’t lost his eye for goal; he is currently the loading goalscorer in Serie A with ten and got on the scoresheet for Lazio in their most recent league match. Yet he hasn’t scored for Italy in almost five months; he scored against Switzerland themselves in the second group stage match at EURO 2020. “Criticism is part and parcel of wearing this shirt but I can’t deny it: they do hurt. I know that the numbers I put up with Lazio aren’t the same as the ones with Italy but you can’t compare the two situations. We played seven or eight international fixtures per year and maybe you go into them slightly out of form or fitness. I would like to score as regularly with Italy but not all those that want it can manage it. It’s a shame that I sometimes don’t receive the same treatment as others; it’s almost like I wasn’t even part of the 26-man squad at the Euros and that is painful. I’m satisfied with what I am doing in this shirt: my performances are good but I know that I need to score more.”

Roberto Mancini is absolutely not among Immobile’s detractors and the Italy boss showered the striker with praise in a press conference yesterday, reminding people that he has been the most prolific Italian striker for some time. “I’m happy to be back and I want to thank the coach for his kind words; they really help,” Immobile said. “I need a little bit of pampering and I think most players are like that. They always try to give out praise here and that makes me happy; it gives me that energy to show my worth. In September, the coach was always present, reminding me that I’m a European champion and I have nothing to prove.” With new Lazio boss Maurizio Sarri, he’s learning a new style of football that can help him express himself better with the national team too: “I’m not playing with a second striker near me and this has changed me; it’s like that with Italy too. The coach tells me that I could even score more because, sometimes, I attack the box in the same way.” On Friday, Ciro wants to be a central figure on home turf: “playing at the Olimpico is amazing because I am Lazio’s captain and I am back now with the Azzurri. My dream goal is the next one, and then the next one and so on…”

Squad list

Goalkeepers: Alessio Cragno (Cagliari), Gianluigi Donnarumma (Paris Saint-Germain), Alex Meret (Napoli), Salvatore Sirigu (Genoa);
Defenders: Francesco Acerbi (Lazio), Alessandro Bastoni (Inter), Cristiano Biraghi (Fiorentina), Leonardo Bonucci (Juventus), Davide Calabria (Milan), Giorgio Chiellini (Juventus), Giovanni Di Lorenzo (Napoli), Emerson Palmieri (Lyon), Gianluca Mancini (Roma);
Midfielders: Nicolò Barella (Inter), Danilo Cataldi (Lazio), Bryan Cristante (Roma), Jorginho (Chelsea), Manuel Locatelli (Juventus), Matteo Pessina (Atalanta), Tommaso Pobega (Torino), Sandro Tonali (Milan);
Attackers: Andrea Belotti (Torino), Domenico Berardi (Sassuolo), Federico Bernardeschi (Juventus), Federico Chiesa (Juventus), Ciro Immobile (Lazio), Lorenzo Insigne (Napoli), Giacomo Raspadori (Sassuolo).

Schedule (all times CET unless stated otherwise)

Tuesday 9 November
13:30 – Press conference at Coverciano – Player **(access for journalists)
16:00 – Training at Coverciano **(behind closed doors)
Wednesday 10 November
10:30 – Training at Coverciano **(behind closed doors)
Afternoon transfer from Florence to Roma and visit to Bambino Gesù Children’s hospital
Thursday 11 November
12:00 – Press conference at the Stadio Olimpico in Rome, ITALY (access for journalists)
18:30 – Training at the Stadio Olimpico in Rome, ITALY (first 15 minutes open to the media)
16:00 – Press conference at the Stadio Olimpico in Rome, Switzerland (access for journalists)
17:00 – Training at the Stadio Olimpico in Rome, Switzerland (first 15 minutes open to the media)
Friday 12 November
20:45 – ITALY vs. Switzerland. Post-match press conference and return to hotel to follow
Saturday 13 November
15:00 – Training at the Acqua Acetosa Olympic Training Centre in Rome (behind closed doors)
Sunday 14 November
10:30 – Transfer from Rome to Belfast
11:30 l.t Training, Northern Ireland (first 15 minutes open to the press)
13:00 l.t – Press conference, Northern Ireland ***(access for journalists)
17:30 l.t – Press conference, ITALY ***(access for journalists)
18:00 l.t – Training ITALY ***(first 15 minutes open to the media)
Monday 15 November
19:45 l.t – Northern Ireland vs. ITALY. Followed by post-match press conference and return to respective clubs

*Depending on capacity, journalists and photographers will be granted access to the press conference and the first 15 minutes of the team’s training session on Monday 8 November
**Only journalists will have access to successive press conferences at Coverciano, with the remaining training sessions taking place behind closed doors. TV operators will not be granted access. The FIGC will produce and distribute images relating to press conferences and training sessions to relevant parties upon request. For more info: Massimiliano Reale (FIGC Area Sales): email: m.reale@figcit. Tel: 06/84913023.
***The press conferences in Belfast will be reserved for eight media outlets. A Zoom link will be provided for accredited journalists to follow the conference.