Despite the weight of the warning, the coach announced him in the lineup against Norway: an opportunity to put the recent negative period behind him

A starter, even if on a yellow card. Because San Siro is his home, despite his current difficulties at Inter. Because in midfield he will be able to link up with his training partner, Barella. Because “he has different characteristics from the others,” as coach Gattuso says. Davide Frattesi has realized that it’s time to turn up the volume. Ahead of the January transfer window, such an opportunity will not come again: being a key player in Italy’s attempt to at least partially spoil Haaland’s moment, the Norwegian world stage, is a good idea for today and also for tomorrow.

He will have to be careful with yellow cards so that he is available for the playoff semifinal, but that does not mean he will back down when called upon by his country, which demands a high-level performance: finishing the group stage on equal points, in the event of a victory, will not be enough for direct qualification but will boost self-esteem. Frattesi has learned the hard way how much the mental aspect affects performance: with Chivu, even worse than with Inzaghi, he lost positions and, as a result, his sparkle. Behind the trio of starters, okay, he could fear it, but now Sucic and Zielinski have also surpassed him. But the Milan showcase can help him break out of the crisis.
After all, the national team has always been a panacea for him: eight goals in 32 appearances for a midfielder is no small feat. Just think that Francesco Totti, his youth idol at Roma, scored nine goals in 58 games on that unforgettable night in Berlin.
Against Norway, Frattesi will play for the first time from the start under Gattuso. His last game as a starter coincided with Spalletti’s last as coach, in Reggio Emilia against Moldova, when he received the yellow card that now makes him tremble ahead of the playoffs. With Chivu, on the other hand, he failed in his attempt to relaunch last week in the Champions League against Kairat. But in a week’s time, the derby arrives at San Siro, a blender of ingredients that seems to have been turned on specifically to mix the flavors. Frattesi looks at the midfield positions, realizes that Mkhitaryan is still out, and plugs himself in. A great night with the national team would cause quite a stir that could intrigue Inter: hey, I’m here too.