Italy goalkeeper Gianluigi Donnarumma offered no excuses for his side’s poor showing in their 3-0 defeat at Norway in the World Cup qualifiers on Friday, saying their form was not acceptable and the fans deserve better.
Playing the first match of their qualifying campaign, Italy were stunned after a ruthless first-half performance by Norway, who put three past the visitors thanks to Alexander Sorloth, Antonio Nusa and Erling Haaland.
Italy sit fourth in Group I, while Norway lead the group with nine points from three matches. Estonia, Moldova and Israel are also in Group I.
“I have no explanation at the moment. You just have to go inside and realise the performance tonight. Our fans don’t deserve this,” Donnarumma told Italian TV channel Rai Sport.
“We all have to come out of these games together, we need to examine our conscience.”
The four-times World Cup winners have not qualified for the global showpiece event since 2014.
Italy manager Luciano Spalletti said his team were going through a difficult patch and that he would speak with the Italian Football Federation about the situation.
“From us, it has to come from us first of all. We are Italy and these matches are not acceptable… We must be more united than before,” said Donnarumma, who won the Champions League, Ligue 1, French Cup and French Super Cup titles with Paris St Germain in the recently concluded season.
Italy next host fifth-placed Moldova on Monday.
