Beleaguered Italy coach Gian Piero Ventura said his team would try to qualify for the World Cup by &ldquo;playing football&rdquo; after their ill-tempered playoff first leg against Sweden.

The 69-year-old Ventura - the oldest-ever coach in Italy&rsquo;s history -- said it would take him months to listen to all the advice he had received as he bids to overturn Friday&#39;s 1-0 first leg defeat in Stockholm.

That loss left Italy in danger of missing the World Cup for the first time in 60 years and the tension ahead of Monday&#39;s return at the San Siro is palpable.

<a href="http://www.wionews.com/football/humble-sweden-taking-nothing-for-granted-against-italy-24104" target="_blank">Also read:&nbsp;&#39;Humble&#39; Sweden taking nothing for granted against Italy</a>

Italy complained of rough play by Sweden in the first leg, including a challenge which left Leonardo Bonucci with a broken nose, while Sweden were unhappy at their rivals&#39; alleged gamesmanship.

Italy has said that defender Bonucci will play on Monday with a face mask.

&quot;We are Italy and, if we qualify, I would like to be able to say that we did it by playing football,&quot; Ventura told reporters. &quot;I don&#39;t know what sort of game it will be but I hope it will be played in the correct spirit.&quot;

Ventura&#39;s tactics and team selection have been the subject of heated debate.

He ditched his preferred 4-2-4 formation for a 3-5-2 in Friday&#39;s match and Italians are eager to see what he will come up with on Monday and who will replace suspended midfielder Marco Verratti.

&quot;I&#39;ve received so much advice in the last few days that, if I tried to listen to it all, it would take months,&quot; said Ventura.

&quot;I know that&#39;s how it works when you are coach of the national team although I didn&#39;t expect it to be quite like this.&rdquo;

&quot;I can assure you that coaches listen to advice and analyse it, but it is us who decide.&quot; Goalkeeper Gianluigi Buffon said the team were in a state of &quot;high tension&quot;.

&quot;It&#39;s an important match for us and our history,&quot; said the 39-year-old. &quot;It&#39;s important for football in our country that we qualify for the World Cup.&quot;

&quot;I am approaching this like the eve of an important event. I&#39;m tense, but it&#39;s the right amount of tension.&quot;

To read more:&nbsp;<a href="http://www.wionews.com/football/could-italy-miss-first-football-world-cup-in-60-years-23877" target="_blank">Could Italy miss first Football World Cup in 60 years?</a>

Italy coach Gian Piero Ventura wants Italy to qualify by 'playing football'

Beleaguered Italy coach Gian Piero Ventura said his team would try to qualify for the World Cup by “playing football” after their ill-tempered playoff first leg against Sweden. The 69-year-old Ventura - the oldest-ever coach in Italy’s history -- said it would take him months to listen to all the advice he had received as he bids to overturn Friday's 1-0 first leg defeat in Stockholm. That loss left Italy in danger of missing the World Cup for the first time in 60 years and the tension ahead of Monday's return at the San Siro is palpable. Also read: 'Humble' Sweden taking nothing for granted against Italy Italy complained of rough play by Sweden in the first leg, including a challenge which left Leonardo Bonucci with a broken nose, while Sweden were unhappy at their rivals' alleged gamesmanship. Italy has said that defender Bonucci will play on Monday with a face mask. "We are Italy and, if we qualify, I would like to be able to say that we did it by playing football," Ventura told reporters. "I don't know what sort of game it will be but I hope it will be played in the correct spirit." Ventura's tactics and team selection have been the subject of heated debate. He ditched his preferred 4-2-4 formation for a 3-5-2 in Friday's match and Italians are eager to see what he will come up with on Monday and who will replace suspended midfielder Marco Verratti. "I've received so much advice in the last few days that, if I tried to listen to it all, it would take months," said Ventura. "I know that's how it works when you are coach of the national team although I didn't expect it to be quite like this.” "I can assure you that coaches listen to advice and analyse it, but it is us who decide." Goalkeeper Gianluigi Buffon said the team were in a state of "high tension". "It's an important match for us and our history," said the 39-year-old. "It's important for football in our country that we qualify for the World Cup." "I am approaching this like the eve of an important event. I'm tense, but it's the right amount of tension." To read more: Could Italy miss first Football World Cup in 60 years?

One last chance for Italy to qualify for Football World Cup

A second-half goal by Sweden substitute Jakob Johansson was enough to beat Italy 1-0 and put his side in the driving seat after their World Cup playoff first leg on a chilly night.

Italy&#39;s Andrea Belotti sent an early header just wide but after that the visitors showed little ambition, seemingly hoping for a draw to take back to Milan for Monday&#39;s second leg as they battle for a place at next year&#39;s tournament in Russia.

That all changed when Johansson came off the bench to replaced Albin Ekdal in the 57th minute and four minutes later snapped up a flick-on from a throw-in and hammered the ball through a forest of legs where it was deflected into the net.

Matteo Darmian came closest to an equaliser, sending a shot cannoning off a post, but the visiting forward line failed to ignite and Italy are now in danger of missing the World Cup finals for the first time since 1958 in Sweden.&nbsp;

<a href="http://www.wionews.com/football/we-will-make-world-cup-says-italy-football-coach-23957" target="_blank">Also read:&nbsp;We will make World Cup, says Italy football coach</a>

<a href="http://www.wionews.com/football/could-italy-miss-first-football-world-cup-in-60-years-23877" target="_blank">Also read:&nbsp;</a><a href="http://www.wionews.com/football/could-italy-miss-first-football-world-cup-in-60-years-23877">Could Italy miss first Football World Cup in 60 years?</a>

Italy coach Ventura rues missed chances

Italy manager Gian Piero Ventura was left to rue an early missed chance in a tough, physical encounter on Friday that sees Sweden take a 1-0 lead into the second leg of their World Cup playoff with a goal from substitute Jakob Johansson.

&quot;It could have gone a different way, if we scored first for example such as when (Andrea) Belotti&#39;s header went wide. Now we have 90 minutes left to play,&quot; Ventura told a media conference ahead of the return in Milan on Monday.

&quot;The game was very physical, and we suffered from that. We must improve. Physically we can&#39;t do much, we only have a day and a half, but we have to read the game better next time. We hope the crowd at the San Siro give us the support we need.&quot;

Ventura was visibly angry on the sidelines, gesticulating frequently to his players several times as Italy&#39;s attack failed to find a way through the massed ranks of the Swedish defence.

The 69-year-old coach was still certain his team would qualify for next year&#39;s finals in Russia and not miss out on the tournament for the first time since 1958 in Sweden.

&quot;When I was in the dressing room I saw how angry and frustrated they were. They know they can do better. The game was very physical and that surprised us but we can do better,&quot; said Ventura.

Sweden coach Jan Andersson was pleased with his side&#39;s performance, but said he was well aware that this was just the midway point in the tie.

&quot;We are halfway through this playoff, which is very important to point out. We have talked a lot about bravery and giving ourselves a chance... and I think overall we did that today again,&quot; Andersson told reporters.

&quot;I&#39;m very happy we won the game... but it was the attitude for 90 minutes that helped us,&quot; he said after Johansson scored just past the hour having just come off the bench.

&quot;We&#39;ll do an analysis of the game and make a new gameplan for... Monday. I&#39;m still here tonight - I haven&#39;t gone any further in my mind about the game on Monday.&quot;

Andersson agreed with Ventura about the physicality of the match, but it came as no surprise to the Swedes.

&quot;It was a physical game and we were prepared for it. It was one of the keys to the game, to win the duels. I don&#39;t think we were favoured in any way (by the referee),&quot; he said.

Italy manager Gian Piero Ventura insisted his side would still make it to the World Cup

A second-half goal by Sweden substitute Jakob Johansson was enough to beat Italy 1-0 and put his side in the driving seat after their World Cup playoff first leg on a chilly night. Italy's Andrea Belotti sent an early header just wide but after that the visitors showed little ambition, seemingly hoping for a draw to take back to Milan for Monday's second leg as they battle for a place at next year's tournament in Russia. That all changed when Johansson came off the bench to replaced Albin Ekdal in the 57th minute and four minutes later snapped up a flick-on from a throw-in and hammered the ball through a forest of legs where it was deflected into the net. Matteo Darmian came closest to an equaliser, sending a shot cannoning off a post, but the visiting forward line failed to ignite and Italy are now in danger of missing the World Cup finals for the first time since 1958 in Sweden. Also read: We will make World Cup, says Italy football coach Also read: Could Italy miss first Football World Cup in 60 years? Italy coach Ventura rues missed chances Italy manager Gian Piero Ventura was left to rue an early missed chance in a tough, physical encounter on Friday that sees Sweden take a 1-0 lead into the second leg of their World Cup playoff with a goal from substitute Jakob Johansson. "It could have gone a different way, if we scored first for example such as when (Andrea) Belotti's header went wide. Now we have 90 minutes left to play," Ventura told a media conference ahead of the return in Milan on Monday. "The game was very physical, and we suffered from that. We must improve. Physically we can't do much, we only have a day and a half, but we have to read the game better next time. We hope the crowd at the San Siro give us the support we need." Ventura was visibly angry on the sidelines, gesticulating frequently to his players several times as Italy's attack failed to find a way through the massed ranks of the Swedish defence. The 69-year-old coach was still certain his team would qualify for next year's finals in Russia and not miss out on the tournament for the first time since 1958 in Sweden. "When I was in the dressing room I saw how angry and frustrated they were. They know they can do better. The game was very physical and that surprised us but we can do better," said Ventura. Sweden coach Jan Andersson was pleased with his side's performance, but said he was well aware that this was just the midway point in the tie. "We are halfway through this playoff, which is very important to point out. We have talked a lot about bravery and giving ourselves a chance... and I think overall we did that today again," Andersson told reporters. "I'm very happy we won the game... but it was the attitude for 90 minutes that helped us," he said after Johansson scored just past the hour having just come off the bench. "We'll do an analysis of the game and make a new gameplan for... Monday. I'm still here tonight - I haven't gone any further in my mind about the game on Monday." Andersson agreed with Ventura about the physicality of the match, but it came as no surprise to the Swedes. "It was a physical game and we were prepared for it. It was one of the keys to the game, to win the duels. I don't think we were favoured in any way (by the referee)," he said.

Football World Cup play-offs: Sweden beat Italy 1-0

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One last chance for Italy to qualify for Football World Cup

Football World Cup play-offs: Sweden beat Italy 1-0