Buffon: Italy's World Cup dream hinges on beating N. Ireland

World Cup winner Gianluigi Buffon has emphasized that Italy's sole focus is on overcoming Northern Ireland in the playoff semi-final, rather than immediately considering the potential prize of reaching the finals. Italy faces the precarious situation of potentially missing three consecutive World Cup tournaments, a scenario that has accumulated stress over recent years.

Buffon, now Italy's technical delegate, stressed the importance of the immediate task, stating that their attention has been exclusively on Northern Ireland for the past four months. He acknowledged that only after successfully navigating this first obstacle would thoughts turn to a potential final against Wales or Bosnia-Herzegovina.

The crucial semi-final will be held at the New Balance Arena in Bergamo, a venue chosen for its positive historical association with the Italian team. Journalist Daniele Verri noted that manager Gennaro Gattuso's first game resulted in a decisive win at this stadium, and Italy boasts an undefeated record in Bergamo across 62 years, contributing to a sense of home advantage and confidence.

Buffon believes the team spirit fostered by Gattuso provides the necessary confidence to finally secure a World Cup spot. He detailed the positive atmosphere and support experienced in previous matches at the Bergamo venue, indicating that this detail is very much on the minds of the staff and players for their most significant match in four years.