The words of the coach and the winger who scored the decisive goal
“We believe in it at the last second because now this is football.” The blue coach Luciano Spalletti smiles into the microphones after the equalizer in the eighth minute of injury time with the Croatia which qualifies Italy for the round of 16 of the Europeans. A suffered 1-1, caught at the last minute thanks to a goal by Matthias Zaccagniblue hero for a night: “An indescribable emotion, an evening that I will never forget“.
Spalletti claims passage to the next round, but at the same time admits limitations which Italy also showcased on the evening of Leipzig: “There are moments that become key moments of the match. Since they were now behind it there was the possibility of doing one clean exchange on the three quarters as it then happened”, explains the coach referring to the action of Riccardo Calafiori which led to Zaccagni’s goal. “Something still needs to be done to reviewbecause there are things that happen that are illogical in our matches”, underlines Spalletti into the microphone Rai Sport. However, the coach believes in the group: “We have to take the lead quality of these kids and put them in a position to give their best. In the meantime we have passed the turn, in my opinion deservedlythen we will think about the rest.”
Zaccagni took over from the bench and decided the match: “You always suffer – comments the blue winger – both on the bench and on the pitch, we were good at staying in the game, we made a great second half and we deserve this draw”. There is also room for praise for Spalletti: “I think the coach was good at creating this group, he took everything he needed and we will try to repay him in the field”. Now there is no more time: the challenge in the round of 16 with Switzerland is already an in or out match.
