Yesterday's 2-2 draw against Belgium put an end to the Azzurri's three consecutive wins against the Red Devils (Euro 2016 and 2020 and Nations League 2021): this is the fifth draw in 25 official matches, 28 years after the last, on 29 May 1996. This also ended 2-2, in a friendly in Cremona, with a similar feel to yesterday's match, but with reversed roles: Belgium led twice (through Clays and an own goal from Carboni) and a comeback from Italy with goals from Alessandro Del Piero and Enrico Chiesa. In the total tally of direct matches, Italia have 16 wins against Belgium's four (last win came in 2015). 

GOALS AND APPEARANCES. Cambiaso's goal, his first for the Azzurri, came after 63 seconds: a rapid goal, but one which doesn't take the crown of fastest goal in Azzurri history, which is held by Giaccherini as he scored after 19 seconds against Haiti (11 June 2013). Retegui, the other Azzurro on the scoresheet, got his fifth international goal seven months after his brace against Venezuela. 

With yesterday's match, Donnarumma has reached 69 appearances at 25 years and 8 months of age: after the next match he will have reached 70, taking Sandro Mazzola's 23rd position in the standings of most appearances for the National side. The PSG Goalkeeper, additionally, increases his number of consecutive appearances in the Nations League: yesterday's match made it 23, all of the matches that Italy have played in the competition, a record when it comes to European players. Other notable appearances were made by Bastoni and Cambiaso, who made their 30th and 10th respectively. 

Pisilli made his international debut: he is the 56th player to have made his debut in Rome (the last ones were Pierini and Zenoni on 28 February 2001 in the 2-1 win over Argentina), and is the eighth debutant under Spalletti, after Udogie, Vicario, Cambiaso, Bellanova, Calafiori, Folorunsho and Brescianini. First sending-off for Pellegrini (on his 36th appearance): which is the 45th red card in the, the last red card came on 6 October 2021, for Bonucci in Italy's 2-1 loss to Spain. 

THE SITUATION IN THE NATIONS LEAGUE. Yesterday's 2-2 draw is the fourth consecutive positive result for Italy in the Nations League: three wins (Netherlands in 2023, France and Israel in 2024) and the draw against Belgium. Between October 2018 and November 2020, off the back of two tournaments, we have seen the longest positive run of results: eight matches, four wins and four draws. The current score for the Azzurri in the competition is, eleven wins, eight draws and four defeats (average points 1.78); 31 goals scored (with 16 different scorers) and 22 conceded (goal difference of +9).

SPALLETTI ERA. In terms of Spalletti, we have played 17 matches, nine wins, five draws and three defeats, 28 goals scored and 17 conceded. Seventh game in a row with at least one goal conceded: four at the Euro's and three in the Nations League, after three games in which we managed to clean sheet (against Ecuador, Turkey and Bosnia). In 13 months, Frattesi has made the most appearances (the only player to have played in 16 games, ahead of Donnarumma, Dimarco and Raspadori on 15) with six goals.