It has always been ItalJuve, now it could be Inter-national. We talk about Italy and the European Championships but Serie A also appears in Germany where the Azzurri of Luciano Spalletti they qualified for the round of 16 only in the 98th minute of the match against Croatia thanks to Zaccagni’s goal.
Italy and the Inter block
The Italy chosen by Luciano Spalletti is one with strong Nerazzurri hues to try to defend the title won three years ago. Inter, the reigning Italian champions, is the team that has the greatest representation in blue with five players. To the point that from the beginning there was talk of an “Inter block”. Bastoni and Dimarco in defense, Stretcher in the middle of the field with the ability to throw infield as well Frattesi. Spalletti relies heavily on these players who, however, after the splendid start against Albania, were unable to repeat themselves in the following two matches.
In particular, Bastoni and Dimarco ended up in the crosshairs of social media with the central defender accused of making a mistake during the match Modric goal against Croatia, and with Dimarco unable to provide the necessary contribution on the left wing. Frattesi himself, when he entered the field, was not particularly brilliant.
It’s no longer Italjuve and Milan isn’t there
In the blue group there is the usual representation of Juventus players. The Old Lady has always been the backbone of the national team with many players contributed to the cause. Roberto Mancini he built the team that won Euro2020 also thanks to the central pair Bonucci-Chiellini. While in Germany the Bianconeri seem to have disappeared from Luciano Spalletti’s rotations. Among the starters chosen for the match against Croatia there wasn’t even a Juventus player (Chiesa and Fagioli entered the second half, ed). It was from the match against the Cameroon at the 1998 World Cup that Italy did not have a Juventus player in the starting eleven.
Of the Milan the absence resonates but the choices made by the club over the last few years have increasingly gone towards internationality. Luciano Spalletti’s Italy does not have a single player who wore the Rossoneri during the last season and it is perhaps France that can boast a “Rossonero bloc” with Maignan, Giroud and Theo Hernandez.
Juventus: fans struggle to get excited
They have been difficult years for Juventus fans and in particular the 2022/2023 season with the Old Lady who was given a 10 point penalty which did not allow her to play the last Champions League. And for some time Juventus fans have felt under attack by a FIGC which for many is on Inter’s side. After all, the last championship was that of “Marotta League,” with the hashtag trending virtually every weekend. And now among some of the Juventus fans there seems to be a bit of detachment towards Spalletti’s Italy as summarized in Nicole’s post: “There isn’t a Juventus player on the pitch, Spalletti fields players out of personal affection, Marotta is always following the national team, Gravina days ago praised the “speed, incisiveness and objectivity” of sporting justice. Tell me how you can cheer because I can’t”.
A feeling shared by many Juventus fans who joke: “Winning the European Championship by finishing third would make Inter a big block”. While there are those who question the role of Marotta following the national team before the match against Albania: “Could someone explain why Marotta behaves like a FIGC manager and not like a president of one of the Serie A teams? And we should support these people who want to behead us”. It should be underlined that the majority of Juventus fans continue to support the national team, regardless of the “blockades”.
Italy: the journey becomes “easier”
