THE FUSE

The decision to reintegrate Verratti into the fold is a clear statement of intent from Gattuso, who took the reins with a mission to restore Italian pride as their World Cup qualifying campaign faltered under Luciano Spalletti. Despite Verratti plying his trade away from the European elite for Al-Arabi and Al-Duhail, his pedigree remains undisputed. The experienced midfielder has been plying his trade in Qatar with Al-Arabi and Al-Duhail since leaving Paris Saint-Germain, and his omission from Italy squads in recent years had led many to assume his international career was over. Now, it seems Gattuso is prioritising veteran leadership over youthful exuberance in a bid to avoid another World Cup qualifying disaster.