Most of the discoveries made on the evening in Dortmund which saw Italy’s victory over Albania 2-1 on their debut in the European Football Championships come from Luciano Spalletti. The Azzurri coach explains them after the match to describe the evolution following the Albanian goal that came from Bajrami’s feet after just 23 seconds. The first is the result of the goal taken very coldly and the one avoided practically at the last minute. «We always have the bischerata ready» the coach said and it is universal truth. «We won a match by doing many things well, but there was the possibility of going for the goal and we made some mistakes. When you dribble comfortably and feel like you’re in control, it’s not good.”
The second truth is a direct consequence of the joke. Federico Chiesa: «The departure was a bit of a shock but the reaction was great. We are a great group and we did what the coach wanted, but we could have gone more vertical and been more cynical.” Said in Spalletti’s words: «They were all doubly good. We share what happens, be it a goal or a missed pass.” The adrenaline rush is needed every now and then and the unity of the team counts. That of the fans also counts because the experience as guests of Coca Cola at the Dortmund stadium is in the company of over 40 thousand Albanian fans who came from all over Europe and did not stop supporting their team for a moment, even with whistles that at a certain point seemed to shake the stadium.
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Luciano Spalletti rightly doesn’t say it, but it’s clear to many that there are no super star players in this team. Here then is the third truth about him. “You can only save yourself by playing.” And after conceding the goal, Italy played well: Bastoni equalized in the 11th, Barella doubled the score in the sixteenth. However, be careful not to conclude and close the games.
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We were also able to see firsthand the enormous work that goes into the match that comes on TV. 43 cameras film it and there are teams for everything: from shots of the pitch to those of the stands, from replays to VAR. Football seen up close is full of many people and many jobs that don’t even touch the grass, but which make the match at the stadium and the same one seen on television were exhilarating.
And from history comes another thing learned today. Italy had already conceded a very quick goal, on their debut in the 1978 World Cup in Argentina, in which some of the players who would later become world champions in 1982 made their debut. Two above all: Antonio Cabrini, to whom he is compared Riccardo Calafiori, and Paolo Rossi.
Next meeting Thursday 20 June at 9pm against Spain who beat Croatia 3 to 0. Spain is now at the top of group B but only due to better goal difference, Italy also has the same number of points as both teams won on their debut.
