The Cult of Calcio
Italy avoided some of the toughest competitors but will have to exorcize some demons to make it back to the World Cup after missing out on the last two editions. They’ll face Northern Ireland in the semi-final and either Wales or Bosnia in the potential deciding game.
The Azzurri will host the first match, likely in Bergamo. They’d eventually play on the road in the second one, La Repubblica informs. Their path in the qualifiers was basically set from the get-go, as they lost three-nil to Norway. Erling Haaland and company wound up winning every tilt, piling up goals, making a comeback basically impossible, and the rematch in San Siro futile. They prevailed in that one…
