{"id":897299,"date":"2026-04-06T09:22:34","date_gmt":"2026-04-06T14:22:34","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/newsycanuse.com\/index.php\/2026\/04\/06\/nesta-i-was-worried-by-italy-but-super-bastoni-has-my-backing\/"},"modified":"2026-04-06T09:22:34","modified_gmt":"2026-04-06T14:22:34","slug":"nesta-i-was-worried-by-italy-but-super-bastoni-has-my-backing","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/newsycanuse.com\/index.php\/2026\/04\/06\/nesta-i-was-worried-by-italy-but-super-bastoni-has-my-backing\/","title":{"rendered":"Nesta: \u2018I was worried by Italy, but super Bastoni has my backing\u2019"},"content":{"rendered":"<div href=\"https:\/\/football-italia.net\/nesta-i-was-worried-by-italy-but-super-bastoni\/\">\n<div><picture><source type=\"image\/webp\" data-srcset=\"https:\/\/icdn.football-italia.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/09\/Alessandro-Nesta-Monza-310x207.jpg.webp 310w,https:\/\/icdn.football-italia.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/09\/Alessandro-Nesta-Monza-320x213.jpg.webp 320w,https:\/\/icdn.football-italia.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/09\/Alessandro-Nesta-Monza-414x276.jpg.webp 414w,https:\/\/icdn.football-italia.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/09\/Alessandro-Nesta-Monza-630x420.jpg.webp 630w,https:\/\/icdn.football-italia.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/09\/Alessandro-Nesta-Monza-768x512.jpg.webp 768w,https:\/\/icdn.football-italia.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/09\/Alessandro-Nesta-Monza-770x513.jpg.webp 770w,https:\/\/icdn.football-italia.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/09\/Alessandro-Nesta-Monza-900x600.jpg.webp 900w,https:\/\/icdn.football-italia.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/09\/Alessandro-Nesta-Monza-1024x683.jpg.webp 1024w,https:\/\/icdn.football-italia.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/09\/Alessandro-Nesta-Monza.jpg.webp 1200w\" data-sizes=\"(min-width:1665px) 1155px, (min-width:768px) 69vw, (min-width:576px) 60vw, 92vw\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/icdn.football-italia.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/09\/Alessandro-Nesta-Monza.jpg\" alt=\"NAPLES, ITALY - SEPTEMBER 29: Alessandro Nesta Monza head coach looks on before the Serie A match between Napoli and Monza at Stadio Diego Armando Maradona on September 29, 2024 in Naples, Italy. (Photo by Francesco Pecoraro\/Getty Images)\"   fetchpriority=\"high\"><\/picture><\/div>\n<p>Monza coach Alessandro Nesta (Photo by Francesco Pecoraro\/Getty Images)<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p>Italy legend Alessandro Nesta gives his prediction for the World Cup play-off final against Bosnia, and stands with Alessandro Bastoni. \u2018I simulated many times in my career.\u2019<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/supporters.football-italia.net\/?utm_source=football-italia.net&#038;utm_medium=midarticle&#038;utm_campaign=default\">Read Football Italia Ad-Free and get access to Exclusive News \u2013 Free Trial \u2013 Click Here<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>The Azzurri took over 55 minutes to break Northern Ireland down in Bergamo during last night\u2019s World Cup play-off semi-final.<\/p>\n<p>They eventually ran out 2-0 winners thanks to goals from Sandro Tonali and Moise Kean, setting up the final showdown with <a href=\"https:\/\/football-italia.net\/bosnia-tickets-italy-world-cup-final-sold-out\/\">Bosnia and Herzegovina on Tuesday evening<\/a> in Zenica.<\/p>\n<h2>Nesta anxious as an Italy supporter<\/h2>\n<figure id=\"attachment_832466\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-832466\"><picture><source type=\"image\/webp\" data-srcset=\"https:\/\/icdn.football-italia.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/09\/Alessandro-Nesta-Monza-bench-310x207.jpg.webp 310w,https:\/\/icdn.football-italia.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/09\/Alessandro-Nesta-Monza-bench-320x213.jpg.webp 320w,https:\/\/icdn.football-italia.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/09\/Alessandro-Nesta-Monza-bench-414x276.jpg.webp 414w,https:\/\/icdn.football-italia.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/09\/Alessandro-Nesta-Monza-bench-630x420.jpg.webp 630w,https:\/\/icdn.football-italia.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/09\/Alessandro-Nesta-Monza-bench-768x512.jpg.webp 768w,https:\/\/icdn.football-italia.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/09\/Alessandro-Nesta-Monza-bench-770x513.jpg.webp 770w,https:\/\/icdn.football-italia.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/09\/Alessandro-Nesta-Monza-bench-900x600.jpg.webp 900w,https:\/\/icdn.football-italia.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/09\/Alessandro-Nesta-Monza-bench-1024x683.jpg.webp 1024w,https:\/\/icdn.football-italia.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/09\/Alessandro-Nesta-Monza-bench.jpg.webp 1200w\" data-sizes=\"(min-width:1665px) 1155px, (min-width:768px) 69vw, (min-width:576px) 60vw, 92vw\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/icdn.football-italia.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/09\/Alessandro-Nesta-Monza-bench.jpg\" alt=\"Monza's Italian coach Alessandro Nesta arrives prior to the Italian Serie A football match between AC Monza and Inter Milan at the Brianteo stadium in Monza, on September 15, 2024. (Photo by Gabriel BOUYS \/ AFP) (Photo by GABRIEL BOUYS\/AFP via Getty Images)\" srcset=\"https:\/\/icdn.football-italia.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/09\/Alessandro-Nesta-Monza-bench-310x207.jpg 310w,https:\/\/icdn.football-italia.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/09\/Alessandro-Nesta-Monza-bench-320x213.jpg 320w,https:\/\/icdn.football-italia.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/09\/Alessandro-Nesta-Monza-bench-414x276.jpg 414w,https:\/\/icdn.football-italia.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/09\/Alessandro-Nesta-Monza-bench-630x420.jpg 630w,https:\/\/icdn.football-italia.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/09\/Alessandro-Nesta-Monza-bench-768x512.jpg 768w,https:\/\/icdn.football-italia.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/09\/Alessandro-Nesta-Monza-bench-770x513.jpg 770w,https:\/\/icdn.football-italia.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/09\/Alessandro-Nesta-Monza-bench-900x600.jpg 900w,https:\/\/icdn.football-italia.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/09\/Alessandro-Nesta-Monza-bench-1024x683.jpg 1024w,https:\/\/icdn.football-italia.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/09\/Alessandro-Nesta-Monza-bench.jpg 1200w\" data-sizes=\"(min-width:1665px) 1155px, (min-width:768px) 69vw, (min-width:576px) 60vw, 92vw\" ><\/picture><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-832466\">Monza\u2019s Italian coach Alessandro Nesta arrives prior to the Italian Serie A football match between AC Monza and Inter Milan at the Brianteo stadium in Monza, on September 15, 2024. (Photo by Gabriel BOUYS \/ AFP) (Photo by GABRIEL BOUYS\/AFP via Getty Images)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>\u201cI too got worried in the first half,\u201d<a href=\"https:\/\/sport.sky.it\/calcio\/nazionale\/video\/2026\/03\/27\/nesta-italia-playoff-video-1085775\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"> confessed Nesta on Sky Sport Italia.<\/a><\/p>\n<p>\u201cIf the real qualities of the teams emerge, then it\u2019s not even close for any of the teams involved in the play-offs, but the pressure of wearing the Italy jersey is different to representing Northern Ireland or Bosnia.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cThe first half performance was down to the visible tension that the Azzurri were dealing with.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Due to the draw, the play-off final will be played with Bosnia and Herzegovina as the hosts in a fiery atmosphere.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cWe must be well aware that it\u2019s going to be a lot tougher in Bosnia, both because we are away from home in front of their passionate fans, but also as Bosnia are a better team than Northern Ireland, who frankly didn\u2019t impress me much.\u201d<\/p>\n<figure id=\"attachment_812261\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-812261\"><picture><source type=\"image\/webp\" data-srcset=\"https:\/\/icdn.football-italia.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/06\/italian-football-federation-panchina-doro-awards-310x206.jpg.webp 310w,https:\/\/icdn.football-italia.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/06\/italian-football-federation-panchina-doro-awards-320x213.jpg.webp 320w,https:\/\/icdn.football-italia.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/06\/italian-football-federation-panchina-doro-awards-414x276.jpg.webp 414w,https:\/\/icdn.football-italia.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/06\/italian-football-federation-panchina-doro-awards-630x419.jpg.webp 630w,https:\/\/icdn.football-italia.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/06\/italian-football-federation-panchina-doro-awards-768x511.jpg.webp 768w,https:\/\/icdn.football-italia.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/06\/italian-football-federation-panchina-doro-awards-770x513.jpg.webp 770w,https:\/\/icdn.football-italia.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/06\/italian-football-federation-panchina-doro-awards-900x599.jpg.webp 900w,https:\/\/icdn.football-italia.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/06\/italian-football-federation-panchina-doro-awards-1024x682.jpg.webp 1024w,https:\/\/icdn.football-italia.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/06\/italian-football-federation-panchina-doro-awards.jpg.webp 1200w\" data-sizes=\"(min-width:1665px) 1155px, (min-width:768px) 69vw, (min-width:576px) 60vw, 92vw\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/icdn.football-italia.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/06\/italian-football-federation-panchina-doro-awards.jpg\" alt=\"FLORENCE, ITALY - JANUARY 29: Alessandro Nesta during the \"Panchina d'Oro\" award season 2022\/2023 at Centro Tecnico Federale di Coverciano on January 29, 2024 in Florence, Italy. (Photo by Gabriele Maltinti\/Getty Images)\" srcset=\"https:\/\/icdn.football-italia.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/06\/italian-football-federation-panchina-doro-awards-310x206.jpg 310w,https:\/\/icdn.football-italia.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/06\/italian-football-federation-panchina-doro-awards-320x213.jpg 320w,https:\/\/icdn.football-italia.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/06\/italian-football-federation-panchina-doro-awards-414x276.jpg 414w,https:\/\/icdn.football-italia.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/06\/italian-football-federation-panchina-doro-awards-630x419.jpg 630w,https:\/\/icdn.football-italia.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/06\/italian-football-federation-panchina-doro-awards-768x511.jpg 768w,https:\/\/icdn.football-italia.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/06\/italian-football-federation-panchina-doro-awards-770x513.jpg 770w,https:\/\/icdn.football-italia.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/06\/italian-football-federation-panchina-doro-awards-900x599.jpg 900w,https:\/\/icdn.football-italia.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/06\/italian-football-federation-panchina-doro-awards-1024x682.jpg 1024w,https:\/\/icdn.football-italia.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/06\/italian-football-federation-panchina-doro-awards.jpg 1200w\" data-sizes=\"(min-width:1665px) 1155px, (min-width:768px) 69vw, (min-width:576px) 60vw, 92vw\" ><\/picture><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-812261\">FLORENCE, ITALY \u2013 JANUARY 29: Alessandro Nesta during the \u201cPanchina d\u2019Oro\u201d award season 2022\/2023 at Centro Tecnico Federale di Coverciano on January 29, 2024 in Florence, Italy. (Photo by Gabriele Maltinti\/Getty Images)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>There were some doubts ahead of the semi-final that fans might continue jeering Bastoni, who has been targeted for insults since he confessed to simulation when getting Juventus player Pierre Kalulu sent off against Inter.<\/p>\n<p>A few had also <a href=\"https:\/\/football-italia.net\/italy-fans-mixed-feelings-some-root-nireland\/\">called for Bastoni to be frozen out of the Italy squad<\/a> as punishment for this unsporting behaviour, but Nesta is having none of it.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cI have to congratulate Bastoni, because they really piled on him about that simulation, and despite not being at his best yesterday due to an injury, he played a great game.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cI always had a reputation for being a fair player, but I too simulated many times in my career. I\u2019ll never lecture Bastoni on morality, he\u2019s super in my eyes.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cAdmittedly, he is less able to make the most of his attacking characteristics when playing centrally in a back three.\u201d<\/p>\n<nav aria-label=\"Posts\">\n<h2>Post navigation<\/h2>\n<\/nav>\n<p>\t\t\t\t                 Randy Fetzer <br \/><a href=\"https:\/\/football-italia.net\/nesta-i-was-worried-by-italy-but-super-bastoni\/\" class=\"button purchase\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">Read More<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Monza coach Alessandro Nesta (Photo by Francesco Pecoraro\/Getty Images) Italy legend Alessandro Nesta gives his prediction for the World Cup play-off final against Bosnia, and stands with Alessandro Bastoni. \u2018I simulated many times in my career.\u2019 Read Football Italia Ad-Free and get access to Exclusive News \u2013 Free Trial \u2013 Click Here The Azzurri took<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":897300,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[148690,22680],"tags":[148689,9008],"class_list":{"0":"post-897299","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-nesta","8":"category-worried","9":"tag-nesta","10":"tag-worried"},"aioseo_notices":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/newsycanuse.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/897299","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/newsycanuse.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/newsycanuse.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/newsycanuse.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/newsycanuse.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=897299"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/newsycanuse.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/897299\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/newsycanuse.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/897300"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/newsycanuse.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=897299"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/newsycanuse.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=897299"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/newsycanuse.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=897299"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}