In a pre-match press conference ahead of the friendly against Bosnia, Italy head coach Luciano Spalletti shared insights on the squad’s preparations and individual player updates, marking the final test before heading to Germany.
Barella
“Regarding Barella, we’ve been optimistic from the beginning because everything has been under control. When there’s muscle fatigue, you need to wait a day or two, but today everything became clearer. He can’t be considered for the Empoli match, but we are confident for Albania. Meret? The same situation applies.”
4-3-3 or 4-2-3-1 Outdated?
“No, in the right-wing position, Cambiaso, Chiesa, or Pellegrini can play, so we have options for that area of the field.”
Scamacca to Play Tomorrow
“I expect to see the analysis from the Turkey match put into practice. We’ve had time with the players to try things out, and I expect to see that they’ve understood and can perform better. Scamacca will play up front.”
European Podium
“I think it’s fair considering our position and the expectations that come with being Italy. We can never be in a position of complacency because we are Italy; we must aspire to great things. After gaining the support and passion of our fans, we need to play and face the challenges head-on. We must show that we can react to opportunities. Our future is in our hands, and it depends on how we approach it. We know where we come from. The best approach is not to pressure these players with the idea that winning the Euros is the only option. When I arrived, there was still a significant open wound from not qualifying for the World Cup. We’re going to the Euros now, but we started from a non-qualification. We don’t want to sabotage ourselves; we’re working seriously. I didn’t choose these players; they earned this jersey. I just selected the best.”
Buongiorno to Start
“Yes.”
Pellegrini Wearing No. 10
“For his qualities, Pellegrini can wear the number 10 appropriately. He’s made for that role; he knows how to pass, take free kicks, and penalties. He has the touch to deliver delicate passes and maintains good body posture, knowing how to beat his man in tight spaces. And then there’s Barella, who comes close to a number 10 despite covering a lot of ground. But this makes him even stronger and better. We are well-equipped in the number 10 area. Empoli? I bought all the tickets myself… All my friends will be there. I will feel at home because I spent wonderful moments and my entire childhood there. I coached the youth sector and the first team. It was a beautiful experience that gives me important emotions when I remember it. It will be very emotional.”
Bosnia
“A team that excels in counterattacks, they keep a low block and give you the sense that you can control the game. If you’re not balanced on counterattacks, you can suffer. If you make too many passing mistakes, the game against Turkey can repeat itself. We need the quality to exploit the half-spaces that create difficulties in marking.”
Return to Castellani
“This is an even brighter, more splendid blue. It’s hard to answer: when I started, I had ambitions to coach a Serie A team, but at that moment, imagining this scenario was impossible. As I said earlier, the future is in front of us and depends on our actions. Humility and conviction are closely related. Being arrogant, no, but overestimating opponents or lacking self-confidence is worse. I wouldn’t have imagined this: it will be a wonderful moment.”
Fagioli
“Yes, I liked his interpretation, and tomorrow he will play alongside Jorginho. We need technical skill if we want to engage the entire team on the field. It requires quality and tactical intelligence to do this job, a bit more than what we’ve shown so far. We need to operate more in the central sector. We have to try to control the game, manage the ball, and know which area of the field to manage it in. We have a bit of everything with these 26 players.”
