The next day is the most difficult because it is necessary to mentally reset the defeat against Spain and start again. Because on Monday there is the match against Croatia which will decide our fate at Euro 2024 and there is no time to waste. This is why Luciano Spalletti has scheduled training this morning for 12pm, at the Iserlohn stadium, the city chosen as a retreat from the start of the event and reached by bus from Gelsenkirchen after last night’s match, shortly after 1am.
Lucio speaks
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The coach, who in front of the journalists was critical above all regarding the physical conditions of the team, initially kept the group in report in the changing rooms and so the first players took to the field at 12.18, about twenty minutes after the time set on the roadmap. The atmosphere was completely different compared to the day after the success against Albania, when training had been open for its entire duration and the children who had participated in a competition promoted by the FIGC had found a place in the stands. A few days ago the enthusiasm was rampant and Retegui’s brace and Fagioli’s goal were greeted with much applause. This morning, however, only journalists were welcomed inside for the classic quarter of an hour with warm-up and start of the practice match with one of the Borussia Dortmund youth teams. Let’s say it right away, the weather didn’t help because between the gray sky and light intermittent drizzle, the atmosphere wasn’t the best. A bit like the mood of the Azzurri.
divided group
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As always happens in the days after the match, the group was divided into two: the starters for the match against Spain went to the gym (with a view of the pitch) to do some exercise bikes and some relaxing exercises. The others went on the pitch instead (Folorunsho, Fagioli, Mancini, Darmian, Gatti, Buongiorno, El Shaarawy and Bellanova) and those who had limited playing time such as Raspadori, Retegui and Zaccagni.
TRAINING
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In this morning’s practice match, Spalletti lined up Italy with the 4-2-3-1: in front of Vicario were the defenders Bellanova, Mancini, Buongiorno and Darmian, the midfielders Folorunsho and Fagioli, the attacking midfielders El Shaarawy, Raspadori and Zaccagni plus the sole striker Retegui.
