Today, the last training camp of 2024 kicked off at Coverciano for the Azzurri who linked up this afternoon for the first training session ahead of the games against Belgium (November 14 at the King Baudouin Stadium in Brussels) and France (November 19 at the Stadio Giuseppe Meazza in Milan). Leading the group and ahead of Les Bleus and the Red Devils, Italy will need only one point to mathematically secure qualification for the Nations League quarter-finals.

Luciano Spalletti spoke in the usual press conference at the start of camp: “It’s not that we want to get one point, let’s see how many we can walk away with. We have two very hard games ahead of us: Belgium are ahead of us in the rankings (6th, Italy are 9th) and they have many players at the biggest European clubs. It can be said that only a few of our players would be capable of breaking into that France side. The first thing we have to beat is any presumptions, but knowing the lads, I’ll have to say very little. We need to build on what we have done so far, we have to be consistent”.

PERFECTLY UNDISCIPLINED. After the disappointing end to our Euros journey, Italy has grown in confidence and results in the Nations League. In the first four games, we have registered convincing wins at the Parc des Princes and over Israel (twice). It makes you wonder if we would be on a maximum points tally had Pellegrini not been sent off against Belgium. The stats confirm this Azzurri rebirth. Italy has had many more shots on target, get themselves into the opposition box and have tripled the amount they win the second ball, as underlined by Spalletti, with respect to the Euros. 

 

“This morning, we met with the lads and brought along some graphics to compare the Euros performance and the Nations League performance. This change is especially down to them, Buffon told them that one of the most important things we’ve seen has been the refound belief in their abilities and their strength. Through this, they have also become more of a team. We can applaud them and we are happy that they have taken the new tactical system on board. Football is constantly evolving, there are different methods to handling a game and they know how to adapt themselves to what the opposition has to offer. I told them that we’re happy to have perfectly undisciplined players”.

LOCATELLI RETURNS. The injury sustained in the derby on Saturday evening means Ricci is no longer available: “It would have been difficult for him to be available, we’ve got relationships with the clubs and if a player is at risk of being injured, we leave him be”. In his place, Spalletti has called up Locatelli after nine months out: “I didn’t bring him to the Euros as he was missing certain things. Now I see what he is doing and will bring him back in, I have nothing against Manuel. As midfielders, he and Rovella are doing well, we want them to play and we want to be confident”. Also absent due to injury is Riccardo Calafiori which shouldn’t be seen as an excuse: “When Bastoni plays for Inter he shows that he can be another man in attack just like Calafiori. Yesterday, I appreciated Buongiorno’s strength against two attackers such as Thuram and Lautaro. I am very calm, I also see that Gatti is growing”.

YOUNG PLAYERS. There are three new faces in Coverciano. Aside from Rovella, there are two young defenders: 2005-born Pietro Comuzzo and 2003-born Nicolò Savona. The well-deserved call-up comes after a great start to both their seasons where they have managed to find more and more space at their respective clubs: “Comuzzo has a great skill, his focus. He is physical, he is a strong defender and good at keeping organised. He is a clean player and works on the ball: there is a lot of personality despite being so young. I am curious to get to know Savona, he has good footballing and personal skills because he’s a good lad. He starts for Juventus, he knows how to push and can interchange with Di Lorenzo”. Following the Euros eliminations, the Head Coach said he wanted to build up from young players. And that’s how it’s been: “After losing to Switzerland, I asked myself what I should have done and I should have lowered the average age of the squad. Now, the lads are all motivated and want to show their skills, they don’t accept that the level of Italian football stays the same as before”.

AZZURRI GOALSCORERS. In recent years, the idea of forwards has taken a backseat at Coverciano. Few strikers, few goals. Now, however, something has changed and the Serie A top goalscorers table confirms it. The top two spots are occupied by Azzurri players: Retegui on 11 goals and Kean on 8, second in the standings having scored a hat-trick yesterday with the Azzurri Head Coach watching on: “The two strikers have shown what we already knew. It is easy to explain because they can play together: Kean has also played as an outfield striker, he can run more and he can work alone, whilst Retegui is more of a striker in the box, great at finishing and in front of goal”. It’s hard for now to imagine both of them starting a game: “Having an alternative during a match is just as important”.

ATHLETES. Set to be awarded this evening at Coverciano with a spot in the Italian Football Hall of Fame, the Head Coach took to his feet to applaud two prestigious athletes at the Federal Technical Centre. Leonardo Fabbri and paralympic medalist Ambra Sabatini: “Much can be learned from an athlete like her. She deserves to be praised”.

Squad list

Goalkeepers: Gianluigi Donnarumma (Paris Saint-Germain), Alex Meret (Napoli), Guglielmo Vicario (Tottenham);
Defenders: Alessandro Bastoni (Inter), Alessandro Buongiorno (Napoli), Andrea Cambiaso (Juventus), Pietro Comuzzo (Fiorentina), Giovanni Di Lorenzo (Napoli), Federico Dimarco (Inter), Federico Gatti (Juventus), Caleb Okoli (Leicester), Nicolò Savona (Juventus), Destiny Udogie (Tottenham);
Midfielders: Nicolò Barella (Inter), Davide Frattesi (Inter), Manuel Locatelli (Juventus), Niccolò Pisilli (Roma), Nicolò Rovella (Lazio), Sandro Tonali (Newcastle);
Forwards: Moise Kean (Fiorentina), Daniel Maldini (Monza), Giacomo Raspadori (Napoli), Mateo Retegui (Atalanta).