Federico Bernardeschi Sparks Italy Call-Up Debate With Bologna Brace Vs Celta Vigo
Bernardeschi could now be back in contention for an Azzurri return.
Giuseppe Labellarte
Updated on 12 December 2025
Federico Bernardeschi has reignited talks of an Italy recall after dragging Bologna to a statement Europa League win away at Celta Vigo.
Federico Bernardeschi delivers night ‘worthy’ of Italy national team
Bernardeschi joined Bologna this summer, returning to Italy after a three-year spell at Toronto FC.
The 31-year-old has had to bide his time in the Bologna side, with just three Serie A starts to his name so far.
Bernardeschi has just one league goal to date, but he is now on three goals in the Europa League.
Indeed, his display against Celta Vigo on Thursday suggested that he is well and truly back.
Vincenzo Italiano’s side fell behind in Vigo, but Bernardeschi turned things around in the second half.
He scored twice in quick succession, first from the penalty spot, then with a decisive second to complete a 2-1 comeback.
“A dominant night, or rather, a night worthy of the national team,” wrote Calciomercato, who rated him 8 out of 10.
Meanwhile, Tuttomercatoweb wrote: “What more could you ask of the 31-year-old? He seems 10 years younger.”
Local coverage in Bologna has leaned into the mood too, explicitly branding him “da Nazionale” as the debate gathered momentum.
And on social media, some fans also suggested as much.
Il Bologna gioca veramente bene, ma soprattutto con una grande intensità.
Questo Bernardeschi certamente da nazionale— Emanuele aka lamezzastagione (@lamezzastagione) December 11, 2025
One fan wrote: “Bernardeschi maybe deserves a national team spot!
“I’m pointing this out to those who think that the Euros won by Italy under Mancini were just a fluke!
“He was there, Insigne was there, who with his perfect ball control was a lateral playmaker and then Chiellini and so on. They were strong.”
Italy in need of quality and experience ahead of crucial March playoffs
As we all know, the stakes are incredibly high for Italy over the coming months.
The Azzurri have not qualified for two World Cups in a row, and they have once again had to settle for the playoffs in order to reach the 2026 edition.
They face a one-off semi-final on March 26, 2026 against Northern Ireland, followed by a final on March 31, 2026 for a World Cup place.
Needless to say, a third straight absence for Italy would be more than embarrassment.
It would be a genuine sporting catastrophe, culturally and commercially, for a nation with four World Cups and two Euros to its name.
That’s why this is the moment for Gennaro Gattuso to lean into a simple, pragmatic truth: in high-pressure, knockout football, form matters – but so does experience.
This it’s exactly why Bernardeschi’s latest heroics for Bologna are is creating noise.
Italy don’t necessarily need him to start every match, but they could use an experienced, big-game wide option like him.
He is a player can cover multiple attacking roles, keep the ball in tight areas, and bring reassurance when games go tight and nervy.
Bernardeschi hasn’t played for the Azzurri since 2022, but in two games of such importance, he could be a pair of safe hands – metaphorically speaking – for Gattuso and co.
Giuseppe Labellarte
Giuseppe Labellarte is a sports journalist with over a decade of professional experience in the industry. His main professional expertise is in soccer. Prior to joining FootItalia, he worked for the likes of Sports Mole, TBR Football, the Chelsea Chronicle and numerous other sites, along with having bylines in the likes of the Nottingham Post. He holds degrees in Journalism and International Relations.
Our unbiased editorial policy
Despite ongoing collaborations with commercial affiliates, the details, information, and reviews we provide remain honest and unbiased. We keep this in check by implementing a stringent editorial policy.
Our policy implements strict editorial standards, ensuring the integrity and trustworthiness of our articles, news, and reviews. Only the highest-quality content reaches our pages. We achieve this through conducting thorough research on each topic, conveyed to you using unbiased reporting, to ensure we earn your trust and keep it.
