Italy's Mancini to remain in charge despite Qatar World Cup 2022 shocker - Report

Last week, Italy witnessed a heartbreak that could perhaps take years to overcome. Despite getting booted out of the FIFA World Cup for the second time in a row, Roberto Mancini is reportedly set to keep his job as Italy's manager. The Euro 2020 champions suffered a shocking 0-1 defeat at the hands of North Macedonia during the play-offs semi-final clash in Palermo as Aleksandar Trajkovski's last-gasp strike earned the visitors a famous win.

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Even as Italy prepare to face a friendly against Turkey, who lost to Portugal the same night, an under-fire Mancini appears to be going nowhere as a report in Gazzetta Dello Sport suggests the Italian will continue to remain in charge of the Azzurri.

The front page of the Italian publication reads, "Mancini stays and changes", with the boss reportedly axing six stars following their World Cup heartbreak. Mancini has reportedly sent half a doze flops home from their camp, including Chelsea star Jorginho, who missed two crucial penalties during their group stage draw against Switzerland.

"It hurts when I think about it because I do still think about it, and it will haunt me for the rest of my life," the Chelsea midfielder told RAI Sport after the loss against North Macedonia. "Stepping up there twice and not being able to help your team and your country is something that I will carry with me forever, and it weighs on me. People say we need to lift our heads and carry on, but it's tough," Jorginho had added.

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Meanwhile, Ciro Immobile and Lorenzo Insigne join the Chelsea midfielder in leaving Mancini's group with their international futures now in jeopardy, according to Corriere Dello Sport. Marco Verratti, Domenico Berardi and Gianluca Mancini have also been allowed to return to their clubs, although it's claimed they are only being rested.

The report added that Mancini is expected to turn to Verratti to rebuild the team ahead of the Euro 2024 in Germany. Verratti had urged fans to blame him and the team's senior stars for the World Cup fiasco rather than the young guns in the team. 

Italy will have to wait until at least 2026 to see its national team at a World Cup. By then, it will have been 12 years since the Azzurri's last participation in the world's biggest football tournament after they also crashed out in the play-offs in 2017. Astonishingly Italy will not go to the World Cup despite only losing twice since the start of 2019 to Spain in the Nations League last autumn and on Thursday.

The former Manchester City boss took Italy from one of their darkest eras - having missed the 2018 World Cup - and led them to become Euro 2020 champions in a dream summer. Missing out on the Qatar World Cup 2022 this winter is a major blow, but it's believed Italy chiefs trust the boss to continue.

And Mancini has no intention of relinquishing his role with the Azzurri, despite coming in for huge criticism. Following the defeat to North Macedonia, when grilled about his job security, Mancini had revealed, "We will see. I think everyone is too disappointed right now to talk about the future. I have to say that I care more for my lads now than I did in July."

"This is such a tough moment. My affection for them is immense. It's too early to say what happens next, as there is such disappointment. But at the same time, this is a squad of great players with a bright future," the Italy boss added.