The Italian Football Podcast

Should Liverpool winger Federico Chiesa be banned from the Azzurri after having declined to play for Italy in the 2026 FIFA World Cup Playoffs? Nima Tavallaey and Carlo Garganese debate, discuss and analyze the former Juventus star's behavior. This is a clip from the weekly Q & A pod available in full to Patreons and YouTube Memberships. If you want to support The Italian Football Podcast, be able...

AC Milan coach Max Allegri is being linked with the Azzurri job. Nima Tavallaey and Carlo Garganese discuss, debate and analyze what this would mean for the Italy national team as well as Italian football as a whole. This is a clip from the weekly Q & A pod available in full to Patreons and YouTube Memberships. If you want to support The Italian Football Podcast, be able to send in questions AND g...

Italy U21 manager Silvio Baldini has been named Azzurri caretaker coach over Italy's friendlies in June. Nima Tavallaey and Carlo Garganese do a profile deep dive on the former Catania manager most known for booting Domenico De Carlo up the back-side. This is a clip from the weekly Q & A Pod available in full for all patrons and YouTube Members. If you want to support The Italian Football Podcast,...

Nima Tavallaey is joined by legendary former AC Milan, Chelsea, Marseille and France international Marcel Desaiily to discuss a number of Serie A, and FIFA World Cup related topics. Timestamps: 00:00 Intro - Welcome Marcel Desailly 00:12 "Milan Nothing Special" - Johan Cruyff Silenced In Barcelona Champions League Final Hammering 02:18 Silvio Berlusconi - When Capello Asked Him To Stop Talking 04:...

Napoli coach Antonio Conte is the favorite to take over the Azzurri after Gennaro Gattuso failed to qualify for the 2026 FIFA World Cup. Nima Tavallaey and Carlo Garganese discuss, debate and analyze all aspects of what the appointment would mean for Italy. This is a clip from the weekly Monday pod. If you want to support The Italian Football Podcast, be able to send in questions AND get every epi...

From Inter Milan Scudetto worthy winning comeback despite being outplayed by Como, Napoli title defence ends in Parma as Antonio Conte favorite to be the next Azzurri manager, AC Milan collapse of form as Leao booed, Udinese giantkillers do double at San Siro, Boga matchwinner for Juventus again in important Champions League race scalp, Atalanta only have Coppa Italia to contend for, to Donyell Ma...

After failing to qualify for a 3rd consecutive FIFA World Cup, and with only 6 Italian players starting out of 44 in Como 0-0 Udinese & Lecce 0-3 Atalanta on Match Day 31 in the Serie A: is it time to cap number of foreign players in the Serie A? Nima Tavallaey and Carlo Garganese discuss, debate and analyze the hottest topic in Italian football. This is a clip from the free weekly Monday review e...

Who is Giovanni Malago, the man tipped to be the next President of the Italian FA - the FIGC? Nima Tavallaey and Carlo Gargenese do a profile deep dive on the former President of the Italian Olympic Committee. This is a clip from the weekly Q & A Pod available in full for all patrons and YouTube Members. If you want to support The Italian Football Podcast, be able to send in questions AND get ever...

After Italy’s World Cup 2026 qualifying defeat to Bosnia and Herzegovina, and the subsequent exits of coach Rino Gattuso and president Gabriele Gravina, what will the new Italy consist of? Carlo Garganese and Nima Tavallaey preview the potential new squad of the Azzurri ahead of Euro 2028, analysing those who could be chopped and could be called up. This is a clip from the weekly Q & A Pod availab...

Rino Gattuso left the Italy manager post after the Azzurri failed to qualify for the 2026 World Cup against Bosnia and Herzegovina. Who will be the new Italy coach? From Antonio Conte and Max Allegri to Pep Guardiola, Carlo Garganese and Nima Tavallaey look at the options. This is a clip from the weekly Q & A Pod available in full for all patrons and YouTube Members. If you want to support The Ita...

From Napoli ending AC Milan Scudetto dreams to push Inter to the wire, Udinese impress again vs a big team, Como draw heats up top 4 race, should Serie A limit number of foreign players debate, Serie A corruption from international TV deals to youth development involving agents and coaches, to Juventus see off Genoa as Spalletti will stay, and Atalanta set up top 4 showdown with Juve, Fiorentina a...

Goals from Lautaro Martinez x 2, Marcus Thuram, Nicolo Barella and a rocket from Hakan Calhanoglu gave Inter Milan a 5-2 win over Roma, for whom Gianluca Mancini and Lorenzo Pellegrini scored. Carlo Garganese and Nima Tavallaey analyse and react to the main highlights from the Serie A Match Day 31 clash at the San Siro in Milan on Sunday. This is a clip from the weekly Q & A Pod available in full...

Despite an early goal from Moise Kean Italy drew 1-1 to Bosnia and lost on a penalty shootout to Bosnia in the FIFA World Cup 2026 Playoff Qualifiers Semifinal Path A match at the Bilino Polje Stadium in Zenica on Tuesday. Carlo Garganese and Nima Tavallaey do a deep dive post-mortem analyzing, debating and discussing all aspects of the historic Azzurri debacle. Which players should no longer be c...

A goal from Moise Kean in the first half gave Italy a 1-1 draw away after 90 mins and extra time, against Bosnia for whom Haris Tabakovic scored. This after Alessandro Bastoni got himself sent off. Bosnia won the penalty shootout 4-1 after Francesco Pio Esposito and Bryan Cristante missed for Italy, an Italy who now miss their third consecutive World Cup. Nima Tavallaey analyses and reacts to the...

Italy play Bosnia & Herzegovina in the FIFA World Cup 2026 qualifying playoff final on Tuesday. Carlo Garganese and Nima Tavallaey look at where this game ranks among the Azzurri’s biggest and most important ever matches in history? This is a clip from the weekly Q & A Pod available in full for all patrons and YouTube Membems. If you want to support The Italian Football Podcast, be able to send in...

Italy play Bosnia and Herzegovina on Tuesday in Zenica in their FIFA World Cup 2026 qualifying Playoff final. What changes will Azzurri manager Gennaro Gattuso make following the semi-final win over Northern Ireland? Carlo Garganese and Nima Tavallaey preview and discuss the possible line-ups and latest team news ahead of the match. Who do you think should start? This is a clip from the weekly Q &...

The FIFA 2026 World Cup qualification - UEFA second round - playoff final between Bosnia and Herzegovina and Italy takes place on Tuesday 31 March at 2045 CET in Zenica. Carlo Garganese previews the big game. We look at the probable XIs, injuries and suspensions, and break down the game tactically before offering our predictions. Who do you think will win? Who will score? This is a preview episode...

Goals from Sandro Tonali and Moise Kean in the second half gave Italy a 2-0 win at home over Northern Ireland. Nima Tavallaey analyses and reacts to the main highlights from the FIFA World Cup 2026 Playoff Qualifiers Semifinal Path A match at the New Balance Arena in Bergamo on Thursday. This is a post-match reaction from The Italian Football Podcast. If you want to support us and get every episod...

On May 5th, 2002, three teams entered the final day of Serie A with a chance to win the title. Inter Milan were top of the table. Juventus FC and AS Roma were chasing. Some 90 minutes later, one of the most dramatic collapses in football history had unfolded. This is a special throwback clip from The Italian Football Podcast. If you want to support The Italian Football Podcast and get every episod...

The FIFA 2026 World Cup qualification - UEFA second round - playoff match between Italy and Northern Ireland takes place on Thursday 26 March at 2045 CET at the New Balance Arena in Bergamo. Carlo Garganese and Nima Tavallaey preview the big game.  We look at the probable XIs, injuries and suspensions, and break down the game tactically before offering our predictions.  Who do you think will win?...

From Inter Milan stumble again away to Fiorentina where Fagioli dominated midfield, Pavlovic scores wondergoal, gifts penalty in AC Milan goalfest win over Torino where Vlasic impresses, McTominay back on scoresheet as Napoli win 4th on the trot, to Como open up cushion in Champions League race when Juventus stumble to decimated Sassuolo, Giampaolo debut Cremonese win, and Italy vs Northern Irelan...

🇮🇹 Italy, four-time World Champions, are facing a defining moment. After Euro 2020 glory and shocking failures in 2018 & 2022, the Azzurri now stand on the edge of another potential collapse. In this episode, we break down: ⚽ The systemic failures of Italian football ⚽ Why the Northern Ireland playoff is more dangerous than it seems ⚽ The cultural and financial stakes if Italy fail ⚽ How this...

Is Nicolo Barella finished as a top player? Should Italy recall Bernardeschi or Berardi? Should Azzurri drop Spurs flop Vicario? This is a clip from the weekly Q & A Pod available in full for all patrons and YouTube Membems. If you want to support The Italian Football Podcast, be able to send in questions AND get every episode with NO ads, simply become a member on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠...

Could Italy find an unusual path to the 2026 FIFA World Cup? With uncertainty surrounding Iran’s participation in the tournament, speculation has begun about what FIFA would do if a qualified team cannot take part. Recent geopolitical tensions involving Iran, the United States and Israel have raised questions about whether the Iranian national team will participate in the 2026 World Cup, which wil...

From AC Milan Scudetto choke job as Rafael Leao loses it, outstanding Mario Gila shines as Sarri outclasses Allegri in Lazio win, scared Chivu costs Inter Milan 2 points in another refereeing scandal, Atalanta react well to Bayern drubbing, Napoli target 2nd spot after Hojlund and Politano keep win streak alive, to Como favorites for top 4 after Roma win, to Boga and Yildiz star for Juventus who e...