Luciano Spalletti was happy with Italy’s qualification for EURO 2024, admitting that his team had numerous chances to score in their 0-0 with Ukraine. The Azzurri dominated the match and wasted several good chances to score, something Spalletti highlighted when speaking with the press after the match:
How do you analyse the match?
“I heard your colleagues talking about so much fear… But from the first moment I arrived you told me that this is fundamental, very important, that we are all linked to this qualification from the round. We had to qualify given the recent past and when it’s breathing down his neck with many situations like we’ve had in this period, it’s not easy. It’s not easy to take over and make the right choices straight away, I learned some things after I started this new job and now I think I know something more. I came here to qualify, not to find excuses for a possible lack of qualification. And the real work starts now, now the possibility of working begins. When I agreed to take on this role I knew I had to qualify.”
What is your analysis of these first six matches? Where to start your real work in view of the European Championship?
“Tonight we had the chance to take the lead several times, then for the type of result and ranking you arrive with, suffering at the end is inevitable, I knew it. Also for this reason I had left out the two physical strikers, because then it would have been a ball thrown back continuously. It’s all quite normal, if you don’t manage to score in the first 60 minutes.
“This period was used to learn some things and notice others. For example, we had never had Buongiorno and instead he proved to be a champion. This fact of adapting to a different building phase and Barella being good at playing as a midfielder is very positive. I saw availability and the team highlighted some knowledge that will be important for the future. Tonight we found a very strong Ukraine who did their duty to the end, then you have to take this match home in this way here too. In the first half we would have deserved it. I would have expected something surprising against England, which we didn’t achieve.” .
You got the APP to show the kids the mistakes, will you ask for other things? What friendlies will he ask for in March?
“We with the national team want to try to get as close as possible to what is done in clubs. We want to stay in relationship, have the opportunity to talk and meet several times. I won’t wait for March, I will go to see the teams training and then I will go to have dinner with them to ask their opinions.
“We have serious players within the national team and I want to go and meet them after the tranquillity of a result: now we can enter into closer relationships also because they have things to say to us. From now on we will probably train with a drone because we need training images.
“Everyone has downloaded this APP, we upload all the training sessions but then it must be a nice clear image, from the Coverciano terrace the image is flat and that’s why we need the drone. We want to give shape to the national team because this is needed. We needed this result to return to the football that counts: now we have obtained it. Without the European Championship it would have been difficult to continue the growth process. I will ask for difficult friendlies, the most difficult ones. Also because many need to gain experience against high-level opponents, many don’t play in Europe so where do they accumulate this experience if not in these matches?”
How did Raspadori take the substitution in the 45th minute? And how did Berardi take sitting in the stands?
“Two days to recover and play another match like this isn’t very long. I brainwashed them to convince them otherwise, but in these two days they didn’t train, we explained things to them as they walked. In the meantime I think he has to thank me because I made him play again and the game in development shows that there is probably a need for a player with a strong head.
“So in the meantime I’m letting one play by inserting Scamacca: tonight he wasn’t at his level but he fought. Berardi, in the last match, was very tired, I replaced him when he was very tired. And then I have Politano who scored five goals like Berardi, I have Zaniolo who has that body that gives you something extra in these matches… His physique is an important component in these matches. I made some assessments based on what I saw and it is knowledge.”
For you, is it a penalty at the end?
“Critante puts his foot close to Myìudryk’s foot, to the side but doesn’t go to step on him. He’s already a bit in the air, he tries to anticipate and then look for the impact. But he puts his foot to the side. To close, I want to thank the fans who supported us in these matches: both at home and tonight given the many Italians who were in the stands. Their presence will be a good omen given that the European Championship will be played here.”
