Gattuso's special: Wake-up slap in the face

Last night, Italy thrashed Estonia 5-0 and recorded a vital triumph on Gennaro Gattuso's debut on the bench. Still, the Azzurri needed some time to reach their expected level, as they scored all five goals after the break.

Between the 58th and 92nd minutes, Moise Kean, Mateo Retegui (a brace), Giacomo Raspadori, and Alessandro Bastoni found the net behind the Estonia keeper's back five times and significantly improved the impression of Italy's performance.

Favorites night: Italy's second half rapsody, France's routine

Following the triumph, the media wanted to know what Gattuso had said to his players at the break to wake them up, and one of the scorers, Bastoni, had a rather peculiar answer.

"I never had Gattuso as a teammate, but I can imagine what that was like! He gives us so much determination and grit, a fair few slaps too, which perhaps we needed to have a wake-up call. I think we needed that lately," Inter Milan defender told Sky Sport Italia via Football Italia.

However, Bastoni's claim regarding the slaps intrigued the journalists so much that they asked his teammate and another scorer, Raspadori, to clarify the centre-back's words. If you thought the slaps were metaphorical, you're wrong!

"No, he gave us genuine slaps, I got one on the back of the neck," the new Atletico Madrid forward admitted, speaking to Sky Sport Italia via Football Italia.

In the end, Gattuso himself had to comment on the matter.

"I want to clarify I did not slap anyone. I just want a team that works hard, because quality isn't enough, we've got to have that extra push, extra run, extra word to your teammates," the tactician said via Yahoo Sports with a smile on his face.

Either way, regardless of whether these "slap stories" are real or not, neither of the two Italian internationals wanted to complain. On the contrary, they must be thrilled, just like the entire public on the Boot, given that the Azzurri are back in the mix for the place that can take them to the 2026 FIFA World Cup.

Italy will play their next qualifying game in two days on the road against Israel, which sit in the second place in Group I behind Norway and with a three-point edge over the Azzurri.

2026 FIFA WORLD CUP QUALIFIERS - EUROPE

Friday

Denmark - Scotland 0-0

Faroe I. - Croatia 0-1 (0-1)

/Kramaric 31/

Greece - Belarus 5-1 (4-0)

/Karetsas 3, Pavlidis 17, Bakasetas 21, Kourbelis 36, Tzolis 63 - Barkovskiy 72 pen/

Iceland - Azerbaijan 5-0 (1-0)

/Palsson 45+2, Johannesson 47, 56, Gudmundsson 66, Hlynsson 73/

Italy - Estonia 5-0

/Kean 58, Retegui 69, 89, Raspadori 71, Bastoni 90+2/

Moldova - Israel 0-4 (0-2)

/Peretz 15, Solomon 35, Baribo 59, Gloukh 77/

Montenegro - Czech R. 0-2 (0-1)

/Cerv 3, Cerny 90+6/

Slovenia - Sweden 2-2 (0-1)

/Lovric 46, Vipotnik 90 - Elanga 18, Ayari 73/

Switzerland - Kosovo 4-0 (4-0)

/Akanji 22, Embolo 25, 45, Widmer 39/

Ukraine - France 0-2 (0-1)

/Olise 10, Mbappe 82/

Saturday

Latvia - Serbia 0-1 (0-1)

/Vlahovic 12/

19.00: (19.0) Armenia (7.75) Portugal (1.15)

19.00: (1.01) England (25.0) Andorra (70.0)

21.45: (1.10) Austria (10.0) Cyprus (30.0)

21.45: (2.65) R.Ireland (3.10) Hungary (2.85)

21.45: (75.0) San Marino (14.0) B&H (1.03)

Sunday

16.00: (1.55) Georgia (4.00) Bulgaria (6.50)

19.00: (22.0) Lithuania (11.0) Netherlands (1.12)

19.00: (1.07) Macedonia (10.0) Liechtenstein (40.0)

21.45: (1.12) Belgium (10.0) Kazakhstan (25.0)

21.45: (1.12) Germany (9.50) N.Ireland (20.0)

21.45: (4.00) Luxembourg (3.35) Slovakia (2.00)

21.45: (1.70) Poland (3.60) Finland (5.40)

21.45: (5.50) Turkey (3.70) Spain (1.67)

***odds are subject to change***