BUDAPEST - Head coach of the Italian national football team, Gennaro Gattuso, voiced his deep grief over the suffering of the Palestinian people in the Gaza Strip, Qatar News Agency (QNA) reported.
Gattuso also expressed solidarity with civilians and children enduring bombardment and blockade due to the unrelenting Israeli aggression.
The Italian squad was unlucky to be drawn in the same group as the Israeli entity, and there is nothing that can be done about that, Gattuso said, speaking at the pre-match press conference ahead of Italy's encounter with Israel slated for Monday in the Hungarian city of Debrecen as part of Group 9 in the sixth round of the European qualifiers for the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
Gattuso further added that he is a man of peace and hoped that peace would prevail everywhere, stressing that what is happening in Gaza pains him and that it pains him to see civilians and children losing their lives.
Unfortunately, Israel is included in the group and there is nothing that can be done but to play them and get the job done, he highlighted.
Gattuso's remarks rejecting the violence against civilians in the Gaza enclave received broad commendation from observers, as well as significant interaction in international media outlets and across social media platforms.
Italy currently sits in third place in Group 9 with six points from three outings, while Norway tops the table with a perfect 12 points from four matches.
Estonia, stalled at three points from five matches, has slipped to fourth, leaving Moldova anchored at the bottom of the standings without a single point to its name. - BERNAMA-QNA