The shot soon took on a symbolic value. So much so that it becomes a small compendium of the feat just accomplished. In the center of the frame two men they raise to the sky the trophy Of European champions holding it tightly by the handles. They have one gold medal around his neck and his face stretched with an expression halfway between anger and uncontainable joy. Behind them some teammates advance on the green lawn Wembley right down to the segment occupied by fans Italians. However, their faces are confused, covered, unrecognizable. They seem almost obscured by the silhouettes of Chiellini And Bonuccithe two emblems of a triumph that no one thought possible. It is a snapshot that contains within it an indefinite moment, a collective orgasm that lasted days and then became heritage shared of the country’s history.
The guide to Euro 2024, group by group: the favourites, the outsiders and the complete programme
Three years later than that shot there is little or nothing left. The technical sponsor has changed. The hue of sky blue on the shirts it became more intense. The technical commissioner he had transformed into reality a dream more than daring he first failed the qualification for the World Cup and then he preferred to sit on the bench another national team. And also the generational change he was merciless at times. So betweenItaly that in Germany will try to defend the title of European champion and the one who won it in England there are more discrepancy what adhesions.
What they have in common is mostly a starting assumption. That of breaking with the dear old tradition of game Italian style, of all-out defense, of the rough marker who extinguishes the genius of others, of success achieved without enchanting. The principle is clear. The national team must exhibit on the field an Idea, he must propose and not submit, he must be able to have his say. Against anyone. To succeed Luciano Spalletti he dictated to his two tables of the law with six commandments: continuous pressing, compactness of the departments, control of the game through continuous phrasing, immediate reaggression to win the ball back, regrouping to leave no space for the opponents, return to the pressing phase. Principles of common sense which I am in some way superimposable with those shown three years ago. Although the big difference could be in how to put them into practice.
The team of Left-handed he based his success on a certain solidity defensive (perhaps more putative than actual, given that on the way to the final the Azzurri had suffered three networks while England had conceded just one) which then radiated to the rest of the team. The former coach had modeled the team around a four-man defense whose protagonists integrated perfectly. Spinazzolain a state of grace, had demonstrated that he could overcome more or less any opponent. Chiellini it was the temporal short circuit that declined in a more modern key the ancient tradition Italian defense. Bonucci offered those verticalizations and it was that ability to play the ball that had landed him in Guardiola’s sights. AND By Lorenzo it perhaps guaranteed less creativity than its left-wing counterpart, but it provided a Good solidity in both phases. Today, only the lines of that line can be glimpsed rubble. The Romanist is grappling with an infinite series of physical problems. The two Juventus players surrendered to the passing of the time. The Neapolitan is back from one season complicated. And their replacements do not seem to guarantee the same impenetrability. Spalletti would have brought to Germany Scalvini And Unripewho however were put on foot by the injuries. So he called up Bastoni, Buongiorno, Calafiori, Darmian, Gatti and Mancini. Small detail: (almost) all people who usually play in a three-way line. It’s a more question practice how symbolic. Because the coach has been thinking about it since March change of structure. To rely on block Inter. To rely on a system also practiced by Atalanta, Turin and in part Rome. To find a new solidity.
More generally, however, the German tournament made a mark the eclipse of some certainties such as Verrattibut above all the blue surprises of three years ago. Locatelli (which thanks to Euro 2020 has found the call of Juventus) has not been not even called because of his “too much” interpretation defender compared to where the role is going”, while Berardi he was sidelined with an injury. Even the star of Jorginho appears less bright. In 2021, after the victory over England, the playmaker was considered as a possible winner of the Ball Golden. But after the tournament his leadership began to fade.
Paradoxically, the only role that seems more covered than three years ago is that of center forward. In the place of Motionless (2 goals at Euro 2020, both in the group) e Belotti (zero hits in the entire tournament), now they are there Retegui, Scamaccaand to some extent Raspadori (who could play as a false nine). People with certain talent but still on the hunt for consecration definitive. The survivors of the adventure of three years ago can be counted on one fingertip: DonnarummaMeret (who never played), Di Lorenzo, Bastoni, Cristante, StretcherJorginho, Church and Raspadori. Now the most difficult game begins for them. That of he confirms. But that’s a whole other story.
The guide to Euro 2024
Groups, ranking and regulations: who advances to the round of 16
Group A – Germany that wants to become great again and Marco Rossi’s Hungary
Group B – Italy in the toughest group. The usual Spain, Croatia at the last chance
Group C – England “to take her home” and Denmark to find each other again
Group D – The France of phenomena and the Holland of the new generation
Group E – The Belgium of the transition and the Slovakia of Calzona
GROUP F – The eternal Ronaldo against the young stars of Türkiye and Georgia
