Italy’s coach, Luciano Spalletti, made headlines with his choice of attire for their match against Spain – a blue cotton Armani jacket. Despite criticism back home, Spalletti defended his outfit, determined not to change his style on the sidelines. This reflected his approach to the game as well, as he wanted his team’s playing style to remain consistent.
Italy’s performance against Spain didn’t live up to their expectations. While they managed to win 2-1, Spain dominated possession and had a higher pass completion percentage. Spalletti had anticipated this and emphasized the need for quick reactions and understanding the opponent’s tactics. However, Italy struggled to implement his approach.
There was speculation before the game about whether Italy should include a more old-school defender or a midfielder with more physicality. However, Spalletti stuck with his belief in playing attractive, possession-based football. At halftime, he made substitutions that highlighted the need for a change in approach against Spain’s dominance.
Despite their efforts, Italy couldn’t contain Spain’s speed and suffered defensively. Spalletti acknowledged this before the game, recognizing the challenge of facing a player like Nico Williams, who could sprint at high speeds. He believed playing their brand of football and commanding possession would be key to neutralizing such threats. However, it didn’t work out as planned.
Spalletti took responsibility for the team’s sluggishness and physical preparation. He admitted that he might have pushed the players too hard during training, leading to their lackluster performance against Spain. He also noted the impact of late substitutions, which injected some energy into the team but were too late to change the outcome.
This defeat against Spain serves as a reality check for Italy. It raises questions about their direction moving forward. Spalletti doesn’t want to abandon his style of play, emphasizing that possession-based football is what he believes in. However, he acknowledges that Italy needs to improve and react quickly to this defeat.
Italy still has a chance to progress in the tournament, either as runners-up or a third-place finisher. Spalletti remains committed to his ideas and hopes to have the time and support from the Italian Football Federation to tailor Italy’s style of play to his vision.
Overall, Spalletti’s approach and style are at the center of Italy’s performance. The Armani suit he wore symbolizes his determination to stay true to his beliefs. Despite the defeat, he refuses to make drastic changes and wants Italy to continue playing their brand of football. This tournament may have come quickly for Spalletti, but he remains confident in his ideas and expects the team to improve and bounce back against Croatia.