If Coverciano is Italy’s home, Milan is sort of its cradle. In the city where the National team was born and played its first-ever match in May 1910, tomorrow evening at 20:45 CEST (live on RAI, Spain’s Hernandez to referee), Italy will face Ukraine with the knowledge that they are playing to qualify for EURO 2024 in Germany. It will take the support of all 50,000 fans in the stands (47,000 tickets sold, to purchase tickets click here) to spur the Azzurri on to an all-important victory, which would allow them to take Ukraine’s number 2 spot in the table, avoiding the play-offs.

In response to a journalist’s question, Spalletti stated: “At San Siro, I don't have to ask for anything, we are the ones who have to earn their support. I have attended some international games there. and there has always been an important warmth around the team. The fans have always done their part. I would like to thank them in advance."

In the afternoon the National team will make their final preparations at Milanello and, thanking Milan for their hospitality, Spalletti explains that he cannot give too many indications about the line-up before the last training session: "We will be forced to make two changes given the release of two players (Mancini and Politano), we'll see about the rest. We have to win and also play good football, which we didn't do in Skopje." After a good first half, in which they created four or five clear chances, and after going ahead at the start of the second half with a goal from Immobile, on Saturday Italy dropped the pace a bit, sitting too far back without being dangerous on the restarts. And so Bardhi's equaliser came at the end of the match to make it a draw, complicating the path towards EURO 2024: "None of us are happy with the match, there was disappointment among the players for the result and for some moments in the game. We have to qualify and with the result we achieved on Saturday the pressure we will carry on our shoulders is even greater. We must live up to our history and legendary champions like Gigi (Buffon)”.

In North Macedonia the conditions of the pitch did not help, disadvantaging the team that wanted to play the game: "For those who set out to defend it is easier to play on a pitch like this. Elmas, who I respect very much, used very specific words, proving himself to be the true professional that he is." 

After the draw in Skopje, Gigio Donnarumma has received a lot of criticism for having been caught out at the post. Spalletti stated: "He will play tomorrow. Goalkeepers pay for every little mistake they make, it's normal for mistakes to be made if you want to talk about mistakes. Then he has never been forgiven for being a child prodigy, who jumped ahead because he was given this talent, this quality. This is because we have all struggled, we have worked hard to reach a certain level and therefore we are waiting for those who have this talent to lash out. Many years ago I did it too, starting from the Allievi Regionali to arrive in paradise like now: it’s nice, but what an effort". Then he adds: “Prodigies must have respect for the talent that has been given to them because this talent must then be improved with commitment. Only then does it become more difficult for onlookers to hit out at you. If you don't work on your talent, then it becomes conceit. Because working on it means that what has been given to you is being taken seriously and this invites more respect from others”.

The coach denied the news that had appeared in some media stating that Verratti had expressed his desire to leave the National team: "I called him and I don't think he said he didn't want to come, in fact, he was pleased to have received the call. He told me that, even though he is going to play far away from Italy, he wants to help out in the future. Bonucci also told me the same thing, he also wants to help the National team. Everyone I called responded in this way." 

But the future can wait because tomorrow there is a game to be won at all costs. Unbeaten in their three previous meetings with Ukraine (two wins and a draw), Italy will face an opponent galvanized by Saturday's draw with England and intent on keeping the Azzurri behind in the standings. From Zinchenko to 100 million Mudryk, Ukraine has no shortage of talented players: "It's a more organised team than North Macedonia and it has a clear idea of what its attitude should be, both with and without the ball. We will have to work well on the wings to find space. The goal they scored against England is evidence of how prepared they were for that match: for the first 24 minutes they kept a very low profile, they let England keep the ball, making 40/50 consecutive touches, then with three passes scored a goal. Ukraine knows how to attack, they know how to take the ball from long passes and can even come and press you." Among the elements that Spalletti's Italy must never let slip is the tightness of the group: "Even when a very strong National team has won, the advantage of being a compact and united team, a team of friends, has always been evident. With my choices, I will make some players happy and others unhappy, but I will always make choices for the good of Italy."

DI LORENZO. Giovanni Di Lorenzo was alongside the Coach in the press conference, the captain of Napoli was one of the key factors in the Scudetto-winning season last year under the guidance of Spalletti. He knows very well what the new Coach wants from his players and hopes to share new successes with him by wearing a different shade of blue. But let’s not compare Italy and Napoli: “There are different players with different skills, we mustn't play the same type of football. The important thing is to follow the Coach's ideas, this is a team that wants to play good football. Time is short, but we must be immediately ready to win this match. We know how important it is to win."

In Skopje he met an uncomfortable opposition on the wing, Alioski who turned out to be the best player in his team: “When we don't win, I'm not happy with my performance. We analysed the team's collective performance, which for me wasn't bad. There were things done well and others not so well, we need to work on the details to do better. I'm sorry for the draw, but there is great openness and this is the main thing. We are all focused on listening to what the coach tells us and then bringing it onto the pitch."

From captain to captain, he is happy for Immobile to wear the armband: "I think Ciro is a great footballer and a great person, he is the perfect captain for us and it is right that he wears the captain’s armband."