Italy boss Gian Piero Ventura demands his side must improve if they have any chance of qualifying for Russia World Cup
Azzuri were embarrassed by Macedonia drawing with the minnows in Turin and boss Ventura is worried his side might not make next summer's finals
ITALY boss Gian Pier Ventura stuck the boot into his players for their dire performance against Macedonia admitting they could struggle to reach next year’s World Cup.
The 2006 World Champions drew against the minnows in Turin ranked 103rd in the Fifa world rankings.
With group table toppers Spain securing qualification to Russia 2018, leaving the Italians to settle for a place in the play-offs as one the European best runners-up.
The 1958 finals in Sweden was the last time the Azzuri failed to qualify and Ventura has warned his players not to go the same way.
He said: “If we play like we did in the second half then we will struggle to get through the play-offs, it doesn’t take a coach to realise that.
“If from here to the play-offs we can add a few more players who actually play (at club level), but evidently those are two different situations.
“I think the praise was exaggerated before and the criticism is exaggerated now, I had moments that were positive and negative, like all coaches.
“In the last six minutes, Leonardo Bonucci moved up to act as a centre-forward because the team wanted a victory.
“In the second half we weren’t as aggressive, but that doesn’t mean we lacked confidence.
“Macedonia lost only one game in 2017 and it was 2-1 to Spain, and in the 95th minute they could’ve equalised.
“We’re not talking about Spain or Germany, but they are still a good side.”
They have already booked themselves a place in the play-offs with seven points separating them and Albania in third in Group G, meanwhile trailing first-placed Spain by five points.