Michael O'Neill welcomes Italy choosing Bergamo's 25,000-seat New Balance Arena for the March World Cup play-off, saying the smaller, familiar venue suits Northern Ireland and reduces Italy's home advantage. Punters might find value backing a tight game, a draw or Northern Ireland upset, with markets for under 2.5 goals or a +1 NI handicap offering improved odds.
O'Neill pleased as Bergamo picked for Italy play-off
Michael O'Neill has welcomed the decision to stage Italy's World Cup play-off semi-final in Bergamo's New Balance Arena, calling the 25,000-capacity stadium a venue that "suits us." The semi-final on 26 March will see the winner travel to either Wales or Bosnia-Herzegovina for a place in Group B at the finals alongside co-hosts Canada, Switzerland and Qatar.
Why Bergamo helps Northern Ireland
O'Neill argued the smaller ground reduces the intimidating feel of larger Italian venues. "If you look at the majority of players in my squad, outside of the four lads who play in the Premier League, they play the majority of their games in stadiums anywhere between 10,000 to 25 or 30,000," he said. He added that a stadium of this size is closer to the environments his squad are used to, referencing Northern Ireland's own Ballymena-style atmospheres and Belfast's near-19,000 capacity.
Scout trip confirmed belief
The manager attended an Atalanta match at the stadium to assess the setting first-hand and found it comparable to his team's typical surroundings. That on-the-ground inspection reinforced his view that Northern Ireland will not be overwhelmed by the occasion.
Balancing Blackburn role with international duty
O'Neill is juggling his international job with a short-term club role at Blackburn Rovers. He began his spell at Ewood Park with a 3-1 victory at Queen's Park Rangers that pulled Blackburn clear of the Championship relegation places. He praised the coaching work already done at the club and said a positive start makes integrating with players easier.
Differences between club and country
The manager spoke candidly about the contrasts between club and international football. "International management is a lot about man management and the players are selected in a representative situation," he said, adding that club management involves more day-to-day employment relationships and wider responsibilities.
He stressed his focus is to "galvanise the club, prepare the team for the games at hand" while also readying the national side for concise international windows.
Betting implications from the venue choice
The move to a smaller, more familiar stadium for Northern Ireland should be factored into betting markets. Expect markets to tighten slightly in favour of a close contest; value may be found on a draw or Northern Ireland with a +1 handicap. Markets for under 2.5 goals could also shorten, reflecting the likelihood of a disciplined, low-scoring affair rather than an open, high-scoring match.
Cape Verde boss fuming as football fans face visa BAN from US ahead of FIFA World Cup
Northern Ireland manager Michael O'Neill says he is "delighted" that March's World Cup play-off semi-final with Italy will be played in Bergamo.
Yahoo! News
