After being made a pariah due to Italy failing to qualify for the 2018 World Cup, former Azzurri coach Giampiero Ventura has admitted to avoiding IKEA stores since the Italians were surprisingly eliminated by Sweden in the qualification play-offs.
The Swedish furniture company has over 400 stores worldwide but the 70-year-old has no interest in entering any of the Italian outlets since the Blagult qualified at the expense of the Azzurri, winning 1-0 on aggregate in November 2017.
“After Italy v Sweden, I do not go to Ikea anymore,” Ventura told Radio Anch’io Sport, as reported by La Gazzetta dello Sport.
“It is difficult to dispel the disappointment, what happened was something epochal. I have always thought that in football you win with 11 and you lose with 11 [and] I am a professional person and with the conscience in place.”
Despite his involvement in Italy’s failure to qualify for the World Cup for the first time since 1958, he still possesses the desire to return to club coaching.
“I received a concrete offer from a Serie A club, we discussed things, however, we stopped,” Ventura said. “I have the desire to be in football and to give answers. If there was the possibility, I would start again in Serie B.”
Source: forzaitalianfootball.com