Italy face Moldova on Matchday 9 of the UEFA 2026 World Cup Qualifiers, with their place in the playoffs already secured and only a slim chance of achieving direct qualification. Amid this situation, manager Gennaro Gattuso made the surprising decision to bench experienced goalkeeper Gianluigi Donnarumma.
The Manchester City goalkeeper will be replaced by Guglielmo Vicario against Moldova, as Gattuso opted for a roster rotation to grant playing time to players who have seen less action during the qualifying campaign.
The decision to rotate the squad is driven by the fact that following Norway’s 4-1 victory over Estonia, Erling Haaland and his teammates are virtually assured of direct qualification for the 2026 World Cup. The Norwegian side has won all seven matches it has played so far, putting it first in the group with 21 points—six ahead of Italy, who trail with 15 points.
Although Italy still have two matches remaining, including a final confrontation with the group leaders (Norway), the Norwegians possess a crushing goal differential of +29, compared to Italy’s +10. This disparity effectively ensures Haaland and his teammates will secure the direct ticket to the World Cup.
Erling Haaland celebrates with teammates after Norway’s victory. (Getty Images)
Italy’s confirmed starting lineup
As mentioned, manager Gattuso has implemented several rotations ahead of this match. Nicolo Barella will be unavailable as he must serve a one-match suspension. However, players such as Riccardo Orsolini, Mattia Zaccagni, and goalkeeper Guglielmo Vicario will all receive a chance to start.
Italy’s confirmed starting XI: Guglielmo Vicario; Raoul Bellanova, Gianluca Mancini, Alessandro Buongiorno, Andrea Cambiaso; Bryan Cristante, Sandro Tonali; Ricardo Orsolini, Gianluca Scamacca, Giacomo Raspadori, Mattia Zaccagni.
