A second win in three matches for Luciano Spalletti, who remains unbeaten since taking charge and has one goal firmly in mind: take Italy to EURO 2024. In just a few weeks, he’s managed to transmit enthusiasm and clear ideas to the team, who comfortably beat Malta tonight. “We’ve picked up three important points from a match we didn’t take lightly. We’re coming together well as a group as we look to increasingly get to know each other. We’re pretty pleased.” A bit of speed was missing from Italy’s passing: “These matches help us understand how good we are in tight spaces and if we can be the high-quality Italy side we need to become in a short amount of time. Despite struggling a bit, the right focus was always there to prevent them from countering and we did well to not allow them a shot on goal. Nevertheless, in terms of our tempo and dynamism, we have to do more.”

The Head Coach was full of praise for Moise Kean: “He did really well out wide, taking on his opponents and also using his physicality. He can be useful to us, and I congratulated him. He battled for every ball and showed good technical quality, too.” In three days, the Azzurri will have a much tougher test at Wembley, the stadium where, two and a half years ago, they experienced the happiest chapter in their recent history: “It’s a match where we can see what our potential is.”

Giacomo Bonaventura couldn’t have celebrated his return to the Italy fold in a better way. Three years after his last call-up, he was selected in the starting line-up by Spalletti, whose faith in Jack was repaid: the Fiorentina man bagged his first Italy goal and fifth of the season given that he’s already scored four for the Viola in Serie A: “It’s a fantastic feeling; scoring for the Azzurri is special. Against a side that sat back a bit, it was really important to find a way through. I’m delighted.” A few days ago, he dedicated his call-up to his father, who passed away last year: “I feel good and am playing really well for my club. I hope I can lend a helping hand; the fact that the coach asks us to do the same things we do at Fiorentina makes things easier here.”

It was also a fantastic evening for Domenico Berardi, who bagged his first Italy brace. After a lovely left-footed curling strike just before half-time, he added another with his right foot after the break, thus showcasing his ability to shoot with both feet: “I’m happy with my two goals and the team’s performance.” On Tuesday, he’ll return to the stadium where he became a European Champion: “It’ll be exciting; I have wonderful memories of Wembley. We’ll play our game and try to win in the process.”

Destiny Udogie, meanwhile, made his National Team debut: “I’d like to dedicate this moment to my parents and all those who care for me. Representing Italy has been a dream since childhood. I’m also happy with the win, which helps us continue on our path towards qualification. Things are going well this season, but I need to carry on working hard and demonstrating my qualities. It was a brilliant feeling to play in front of this crowd.”

Matteo Darmian, who was part of a four-man backline that featured three Inter players, was also very satisfied: “The team performed well; you could see what we wanted to do right from the get-go. We feel comfortable playing with four at the back and are trying to take on board what the coach wants as quickly as possible.”