Italy's Bastoni was already facing boos even before getting the blame for latest World Cup failure
MILAN (AP) — Inter Milan defender Alessandro Bastoni was having a bad month even before he became the face of Italy's latest failure to qualify for the World Cup. Bastoni had already been getting booed regularly in Italy over his role in another sending-off, and the jeers aren't likely to stop after his straight red card in Tuesday's game against Bosnia and Herzegovina. The Azzurri went on to lose a penalty shootout to miss out on a third straight World Cup .
The 26-year-old Bastoni was silent, dejected and downcast as he arrived back in Milan in the early hours of Wednesday morning. Bastoni was the last player to emerge from the terminal at Malpensa Airport, walking out on his own after his teammates had already got into waiting cars. Italy had been leading Tuesday’s playoff final 1-0 when Bastoni’s ill-timed challenge shortly before halftime cost his team dearly.
A poor goal kick from goalkeeper Gianluigi Donnarumma was intercepted and with Amar Memic racing towards goal, Bastoni recklessly slid in and brought down the Bosnia forward from behind. A straight red card was inevitable and Bastoni didn’t even protest, sitting on the field with his head bowed as he realized what he had done. Italy had to play the rest of the game with 10 men, including the 30 minutes of extra time after Bosnia’s late equalizer.
While Italy coach Gennaro Gattuso didn’t go as far as to blame Bastoni, he called his players heroes and when asked if he had any regrets, he replied: “I regret Bastoni’s chase. Maybe we could have chased in a better way. ” Italian pundits, fans and media were much more critical, with some pointing the finger of blame directly at Bastoni.
“Bastoni’s 2026 is a disaster,” stated an article in Italy’s leading sports newspaper Gazzetta dello Sport, before describing the red card as “an error that only fuels the debate on Bastoni’s state of form and on his mental stability in moments of maximum pressure. ” Even before the game, there had been calls in Italy for the Inter center back to be dropped from the national squad following an incident while playing for his club on Feb. 14 in a match against fierce rival Juventus.