European champions Italy were "destroyed and crushed" after missing out on the World Cup finals again following a 1-0 defeat at home by North Macedonia in Thursday's playoff semi-final, defender Giorgio Chiellini said.
Italy did not qualify for the 2018 World Cup, the first time they failed to reach soccer’s global showpiece since 1958, and will miss Qatar after Aleksandar Trajkovski’s last-gasp strike earned North Macedonia a famous win.
“I am proud of a team that has given everything, it is clear that we are destroyed and crushed, a great void will remain within us,” said Chiellini, who replaced Gianluca Mancini in the 90th minute.
“There is a great disappointment, even today we played a good game but we couldn’t score. From September to today we have made mistakes and we have paid for them.”
Midfielder Marco Verratti said North Macedonia’s goal in added time was a “real nightmare”.
“This group had a great chance at the World Cup, we came from the unbeaten record, so it is difficult to accept what happened tonight,” Verratti said.
“We all know that we have given everything, now surely it is time to ask ourselves some questions.”
"It's hard to say something right now, I don't know what to say," coach Roberto Mancini told reporters. "Last summer was the most beautiful joy, now comes the greatest disappointment. It is not easy to think of other things, I am very sorry for the boys: I love them much more tonight than in July.
“I am the coach, I am the first responsible, the boys are not. They have a great future, they are strong players for the future of the national team. We did not deserve this defeat.”
Italy had 32 shots at goal to North Macedonia’s five but it was not as if visiting goalkeeper Stole Dimitrievski had the game of his life. He did not have a difficult save to make and the home side not scoring was down to their own wastefulness.
North Macedonia coach Blagoja Milevski could see the irony of their last-gasp victory. “We won Italian style against the Italians, a goal with two shots on target,” he told reporters. “I’m very happy for this victory, I’m proud for these guys.”
North Macedonia, who have never qualified for the World Cup, will face Portugal next Tuesday for a place in Qatar but, no matter what happens in that final playoff, they will always remember their trip to defeat the might of Italy in Palermo. For the Azzurri, however, it is very much back to square one, 10 months on from one of their finest hours.
