The Bologna native will serve as the attacking midfielder who can help the team switch on the fly from a 3-5-2 to a 3-4-2-1 or 4-2-4 formation. Chiesa is in the running for a potential World Cup spot, while Bernardeschi and Zaniolo, on the other hand…
While awaiting news on Bastoni, Mancini, and Scamacca, another piece of the Azzurri’s World Cup puzzle falls into place. Chiesa returns to England; his condition prevented him from continuing training camp with the Azzurri: Cambiaghi has been called up in his place. It’s a shame because it would have been a highly anticipated return after nearly two years, and the coach was eager to see the former Juventus player—now at Liverpool—again. The Bologna player, set to arrive in Coverciano, was one of six candidates for the attacking midfielder role that Gattuso has in mind to switch up the tactical system on the fly, if necessary, shifting from a 3-5-2 to a 3-4-2-1 (with an attacking midfielder) or a 4-2-4 (with an attacking winger).
The names in contention were Vergara, Chiesa, Zaccagni, Cambiaghi, Maldini, and Orsolini. The first three have gradually dropped out of contention over the past month: first Vergara, then Zaccagni, and now Chiesa. The coach chose Cambiaghi simply because Orsolini currently offers fewer technical guarantees—in short, he’s not in great shape—and because Maldini is more of a classic attacking midfielder who can also be adapted as a false 9, as Sarri is doing at Lazio, but he couldn’t stretch play out wide. And in any case, if the playmaker role were to be filled, Raspadori would be the first choice, as he has already performed well in that role for the Azzurri, even though the Atalanta player has just returned from injury and may not have the stamina for a full 90 minutes.
THE DOUBTS—  There are those who would have preferred to include Bernardeschi and Zaniolo, who are performing well in the league. Given that we’re not talking about starters—the only players with a guaranteed spot among those in question are Bastoni and Mancini—we can’t forget that Gattuso has built a squad comprising the same players from those impromptu “training sessions” over lunch and dinner: a group from which to choose based on technical-tactical and even personal qualities. His squad. Berna is in great form and could even be in the running for a spot on the roster if he keeps this up, provided the Azzurri’s run extends beyond the playoffs. For Zaniolo, the situation is a bit different: Gattuso doesn’t see him as a winger (as he once did) but as a second striker, a position already crowded with Retegui, Kean, Esposito, and Scamacca. If the Atalanta player were to drop out, a spot might open up for Piccoli (due to his physicality) and Maldini (from a different perspective). In theory, Zaniolo would also be in the running, but the impression is that the issue isn’t purely technical and that the coach doesn’t want to upset the team’s balance—which has been disrupted in previous cycles—even for the “old” Zaniolo, though in Udine today they swear he’s become a different man.