Bitter Italy defender Bonucci slams ‘absurd’ World Cup qualifying route for European clubs after play-off humiliation

VETERAN Italy defender Leonardo Bonucci blasted the World Cup qualifying format after the Euro 2020 winners failed to book their ticket for the tournament.

The Azzurri will not be in Qatar later this year after being beaten 1-0 by minnows North Macedonia in a play-off last week.

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Bonucci has hit out at the World Cup qualifying format[/caption]

Despite being unbeaten in their qualifying group campaign, Italy finished as runners-up to Switzerland, meaning they had to qualify for the tournament via the dreaded play-offs.

A semi-final pitted them against North Macedonia, with the prospect of facing either Cristiano Ronaldo’s Portugal or Turkey in the play-off final for a World Cup berth.

Italy though were beaten at the first hurdle, with a dramatic 92nd minute Aleksandar Trajkovski goal ending their World Cup dream.

But a bitter Bonucci, 34, has furiously labelled the format as “absurd” after Roberto Mancini’s side were knocked out by the result.

The Juventus defender seethed after the embarrassing defeat: “We played it all in a one-off match, it’s an absurd system.

“Unfortunately, that’s the way it went, but it’s a crazy decision. You have to play a single game in which anything can happen as we have seen.

“There are teams that qualified after losing four or five games, we are at home after losing only one in the 92nd minute. It is truly madness.

“Clearly the regulation is not an alibi or an excuse, we certainly had to do better. But from here we have to take inspiration to find the way back to where we were.

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“There were many reflections. Certainly after Euro 2020 we got a bit lost. This compromised our path to the World Cup.”

Bonucci though can’t say that Italy didn’t have the chance to qualify.

The Azzurri won just one out of their last five group stage qualifiers, drawing the other four.

If just one of those draws had been converted into a win, the reigning Euro 2020 champions would have automatically booked their ticket to Qatar.

It wasn’t to be though, and the 2006 World Cup winners have now failed to qualify for two consecutive tournaments.