There is criticism on the web for the coach’s probable lineup choices for the round of 16 match: why is Zaccagni out while Di Lorenzo is still playing?
The countdown has begun: all 18 at the Olympic Stadium in Berlin, where Lippi’s Italy became world champion in 2006, Spalletti’s national team wants to pass the maturity test and reach the quarterfinals by beating Switzerland. Anticipation is growing among the fans too but there is a certain skepticism about the training ideas filtered after the last training session yesterday.
Euro 2024, Spalletti’s team against Switzerland
The coach tried a four-man defensive line-up with By Lorenzo, Mancini, Buongiorno and Darmian which in the construction phase can also become a three-man defence with the Inter player blocked and the Neapolitan who moves up, hence Spalletti’s unusual expression: “we will play with something that resembles a 4-man defence”. Dimarco out, Bastoni grit his teeth and will play alongside Mancini. In midfield Jorginho and Frattesi out, it will be Cristante, Fagioli and Barella’s turn. Chiesa’s return to the front seems certain, with the lead on the left El Shaarawy on Zaccagni while as a tip all have been tried: Retegui, Scamacca and Raspadori but the Atalanta striker is in pole position.
Euro 2024, Spalletti’s words on the eve of Italy-Switzerland
In a conference yesterday Spalletti said: “We made everyone take penalties, but it is not an ideal thing to already think about possible penalties because we find ourselves doing things halfway. Penalties can be tried, but then we have to recreate emotional difficulties because in these days in training everyone has been infallible, but then in the match it is different. We will still need personality, but we will try everything to win without penalties even knowing that we have a very uncomfortable opponent to face and the results prove it.
We have not been able to express the our level continuouslybut only in flashes. There is a level of football to reach in order to have ambitions. This qualification arrived at the last second, but deserved even if lucky for the research we put in, has given us something more, but we cannot allow ourselves to have voltage drops as at the beginning of the second half against Spain and Croatia. We are now in the heart of the competition and now it is mandatory to show a high level because there are no other ways out and on a personality level I expect something more”.
Euro 2024, fans don’t like Italy’s anti-Switzerland 11
The probable Azzurri formation is not very popular on the web, comments are pouring in: “Everyone against Spalletti because he wanted to start El Shaarawy for Switzerland-Italy instead of Zaccagni. But the problem is not the Pharaoh (for days we have been asking him to play for his spirit of sacrifice) instead of Zaccagni, but rather Scamacca (so far poor) instead of Zaccagni” and then: “Personal opinion I would not change the module with which you arrived at EURO2024 and I would play with 3-4-2-1” and also: “Spalletti once again changes at considerable risk. Let’s hope the ball still lands on the right number.”
There are those who write: “Switzerland is a virtuous nation where rigor prevailsso tonight we will lose on penalties and the decisive mistake will be Zaccagni’s, because life inevitably takes you from the stars to the stables” and then: “Ah but really random now, more than formations they seem like lottery draws. Will he manage not to put Bastoni in his role again today? Of course he can” and also: “I hope for only one thing for tonight… that Scamacca doesn’t play!! ” and again: “But Zaccagni? After the goal, wouldn’t he have deserved a chance from the 1st minute?”
The web is going wild: “For me, Di Lorenzo should be rested”, or: “How can you still put Di Lorenzo in the starting lineup after three appalling performances?” and then: “Spalletti just doesn’t have the ‘physique du rôle’ to be able to give character to a group that you see and know in a few weeks. With this Switzerland, which already threw us out of the final stage of the world cup in Qatar, the chances of progressing to the quarter-finals are low” and finally: “I’m sorry for Spalletti but if he changes one lineup per match it means he’s lost his bearings now.”
