Luciano Spalletti had already expressed his thoughts on last Saturday's EURO 2024 draw made in Hamburg. And the head coach reinterated his point also in Milan, where he was awarded best coach for the 2022/23 season, where he was in charge of Napoli, at the Gran Galà del Calcio Awards night, organised by the AIC.

"No team will be happy to face Italy," he said. "If we look from their perspective, getting Italy as an opponent from Pot 4 in the draw can't be something they are pleased with. We need to go there and show the level of performance and football we are capable of." For Spalletti, it was also a chance to reflect on the first six games of his tenure: "We showed we are an excellent side in every game, but we need to look forward and push on. When you go in the ring, the first punch doesn't decide the contest: we need to go and show our best qualities on a consistent basis."

Also in attendance in Milan was head of delegation, Gianluigi Buffon, who received a special 'Legend' award: "Ending up in a group of death is inevitable when you're in Pot 4. But there's a lot of respect for Italy so when it's finely balanced, as it is, then you can play your cards. It's always very difficult for to repeat things, but we need to nurture our dream and the possibility to shock. In my new role, I feel that I've established a good rapport with the players, which is fundamental, and the boss' ability to integrate and involve me in lots of little things has made me feel at the centre of this new journey."