The coach of the Italian national team, Gennaro Gattuso, acknowledged the difficulty of the match that his team played against Northern Ireland in the semi-final playoff for the World Cup qualification, emphasizing that the victory was not easy despite the 2-0 win.

Gattuso said in media statements after the match that the game was more complicated than expected, noting that the Irish team surprised his team with a direct style of play. He added, "It was a tough match and not easy at all. The opponent surprised us with their attempts to play vertical passes, and we could have performed better."

The Italian coach explained that his team struggled in the first half with slow play-building and not executing the plan as required, before the performance improved after the break. He said, "We were a bit slow and didn't develop the play as we had planned, but we improved after the first half and succeeded in moving the ball faster."

Gattuso pointed out that the Italian national team still has one final step to achieve its goal, as it will face the Bosnia and Herzegovina national team in the final match, scheduled to be held in Cardiff on March 31st.

In his concluding remarks, the Italian coach emphasized the importance of fan support, saying: "The tension we feel is the same as that felt by our opponent. We want to enjoy this moment and thank the Bergamo fans for their tremendous support. Now, we will go to the final together."