Luciano Spalletti has been confirmed as Italy’s head coach till the 2026 World Cup, however the Azzurri’s Euro exit got here right down to his choices relatively than the gamers’ supposed lack of expertise, writes Lorenzo Bettoni.
Spalletti will stay answerable for the Azzurri till the 2026 World Cup, for which the Azzurri are clearly compelled to qualify after lacking out on two consecutive editions.
The CT and FIGC President Gabriele Gravina held a press convention on Sunday, the day after an terrible 2-0 loss to Switzerland, to elucidate the elimination and the flawed choices and to verify that the Azzurri wouldn’t change their coach.
Regardless of some poor performances and a disappointing elimination in Germany, I consider that confirming Spalletti is the correct determination.
The ex-Napoli boss has been in cost for lower than a 12 months and he had barely overseen 10 Azzurri matches earlier than the Euros. Whoever thought {that a} coach just like the Tuscan would have been in a position to flip issues round in such a brief time period will need to have mistaken him for Harry Potter. Spalletti has no magic wand.
There are structural points in Italian soccer, and we solely simply realized it as we speak. Rather more than only a coach will likely be wanted to take Italian soccer again to the highest, however as we already talked about on Saturday, some progress has already been made by Serie A golf equipment, who certainly can’t be blamed for Italy’s EURO fiasco.
This Italy facet was not probably the most gifted within the match and was vastly inexperienced, with 15 footballers who had by no means performed at a world match earlier than. On the similar time, nonetheless, there have been 9 European champions from three years earlier, together with Serie A winners Alessandro Bastoni and Nicolò Barella, who additionally performed a Champions League Closing with Inter solely a 12 months in the past. Likewise Gianluca Scamacca received the Europa League with Atalanta in Might whereas Federico Chiesa – regardless of his highs and lows at Juventus – is among the most gifted outfield gamers Italy has had within the final decade.
It’s honest to see Spalletti stay in cost, however on the similar time, it’s unattainable to not blame the CT for such a painful elimination.
It was all fairly complicated from the very starting. The gamers Spalletti had known as up included 5 centre-backs and 5 full-backs/wing-backs, clearly suggesting that the CT wished to play with a three-man defence on the Euros. His plans clearly modified when Francesco Acerbi was compelled to drag out as a result of a groin downside, however relatively than utilizing an appropriate system for the gamers he had delivered to Germany, he pursued a special avenue, switching to a four-man defence with attacking wingers regardless of having simply three obtainable.
The one time he began with three (in reality 5) defenders was within the final group stage in opposition to Croatia.
Spalletti had no time, nor endurance. Within the second match in opposition to Spain, he confirmed the identical line-up that had beat Albania on the debut. It was a mistake. After a sport that noticed the Azzurri produce 0 photographs heading in the right direction in opposition to La Roja, Spalletti admitted being flawed, saying that some footballers had been drained and maybe wanted extra relaxation.
However there may be extra. The Azzurri boss made two substitutions through the break in Gelsenkirchen in opposition to Spain, and from that second, he would change his XI as soon as each 45 minutes, making substitutions through the break additionally in opposition to Croatia and Switzerland. Certainly, it didn’t assist the gamers discover their footing.
Another excuse why the CT ought to be blamed is his persistence in beginning Giovanni Di Lorenzo. It’s comprehensible as a result of he was his captain at Napoli in 2022-23 and Spalletti stated that the Partenopei right-back was ‘like a son’ to him, suggesting that he wouldn’t have completed with out him in any sport.
Di Lorenzo certainly is Italy’s best choice as a right-back in regular circumstances, and if Italy had gone via, no person would have complained about him being deployed. Nevertheless, when outcomes don’t come, the coach should take accountability and acknowledge that his extreme belief within the participant, damage the crew and didn’t profit Di Lorenzo.
Throughout his last Euro press convention, Spalletti admitted that he would study classes from this Euro marketing campaign and that being a membership coach isn’t like being a nationwide crew coach. He acknowledged that he’ll should adapt and alter as quickly as attainable. Italy desperately wants it as a result of they will’t afford to overlook out on their following and most necessary goal: qualifying for the 2026 World Cup.
