Italy enters Euro 2024 as the defending champions, but a sense of uncertainty hangs in the air. Following Roberto Mancini’s departure and Luciano Spalletti’s arrival in September, the Azzurri are navigating a period of transition. While Spalletti successfully steered them to Germany, repeating their Euro 2020 triumph would be a significant upset.
The Spalletti Era: From Sabbatical to Sideline
Luciano Spalletti’s appointment as Italy manager was far from conventional. He was supposed to be enjoying a sabbatical, having just led Napoli to a historic Serie A title. His plans revolved around wine, not wins, intending to spend a year at his Tuscan estate, focusing on his vineyard’s Sangiovese. The Italian national team, or “Azzurri,” was not on his agenda.
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However, football has a habit of rewriting plans. In August, a call from Italian FA president Gabriele Gravina changed everything. Roberto Mancini had resigned, citing disagreements over coaching staff changes – changes he had initially approved. Mancini’s next move further fueled the drama, as he was unveiled as Saudi Arabia’s national team coach, reportedly on a lucrative €18 million annual contract.
Italy needed a new manager, and they turned to Spalletti. He answered the call of his nation, but the move wasn’t without complications. Napoli, despite granting Spalletti his wish to leave, had unilaterally extended his contract after their league victory. This technicality opened the door for a legal challenge based on a non-compete clause. Ultimately, Napoli did not pursue legal action, but the saga added to the tumultuous backdrop of Spalletti’s arrival.
The past ten months have been nothing short of dramatic for the Italy Euro Team. Spalletti inherited a team that had already suffered a home defeat to England in Euro qualifying and was trailing Ukraine in their group.
His initial international break was overshadowed by calls to replace goalkeeper Gianluigi Donnarumma. October brought a betting scandal, resulting in midfielder Sandro Tonali’s suspension until August. Qualification was finally secured in November with a goalless draw against Ukraine, a match marred by争议 as Ukraine vehemently argued for a penalty for a foul on Mykhailo Mudryk.
Amidst this whirlwind, Spalletti might have occasionally pondered whether he should have stayed in the tranquil setting of his winery.
Luciano Spaletti, Italy
Spotlight Player: Federico Dimarco
For Italy’s Euro 2024 campaign, Federico Dimarco emerges as a potential key figure. Historically, Italy’s left-backs have often been the unsung heroes who elevate the team’s performance in major tournaments. Think of Antonio Cabrini in 1982, Fabio Grosso in 2006, and Leonardo Spinazzola at Euro 2020. Spinazzola, unfortunately, hasn’t replicated his Euro 2020 form since his Achilles injury against Belgium in the quarter-finals. However, Dimarco has risen to prominence at Inter Milan, ready to fill that void.
Spalletti has shown a willingness to inject fresh blood into the Italy Euro team, selecting 16 players with fewer than 10 caps. Riccardo Calafiori, a versatile defender-midfielder who starred for Bologna in their Champions League qualification, is one such example. Injuries in central defense could provide opportunities for Calafiori and Alessandro Buongiorno of Torino.
Federico Dimarco
Strengths of the Azzurri
Italy’s Euro 2020 triumph was built on a distinctive, possession-based style of play. Their midfield, featuring Marco Verratti, Jorginho, and Nicolo Barella, dictated the tempo and controlled games. The attacking width provided by Spinazzola and Lorenzo Insigne on the left flank created space for Federico Chiesa to exploit on the right. When adversity struck, as with Spinazzola’s injury, the experienced center-back pairing of Giorgio Chiellini and Leonardo Bonucci provided defensive solidity.
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However, the current Italy Euro team is significantly changed. Only a handful of starters from the Euro 2020 winning squad remain.
Gianluigi Donnarumma, named player of the tournament at Euro 2020, remains a crucial asset. Despite occasional criticism, his overall form for Paris Saint-Germain has been strong.
Italy’s defensive depth has been impacted by injuries to Francesco Acerbi and Giorgio Scalvini. While Alessandro Bastoni and Gianluca Mancini have experience in European club finals, they lack the legendary presence of Chiellini and Bonucci. The full-back positions, often underrated, are a source of strength. In midfield, Barella and Davide Frattesi, Inter Milan teammates, inject dynamism and forward momentum. Frattesi, despite often playing second fiddle to Barella at club level, has scored important goals for Italy, particularly in Spalletti’s first victory against Ukraine.
Ultimately, this Italy Euro team is a work in progress. Similar to Euro 2016 under Antonio Conte, coaching and tactical acumen might be their primary strength.
Weaknesses and Question Marks
While Italy boasts several capable forwards, a consistent goal-scoring presence remains a concern. In Spalletti’s eight games in charge, four different strikers have found the net, yet none have truly established themselves as the undisputed number one. This situation contrasts with Italy’s 2006 World Cup-winning team, which had a wealth of attacking options in Luca Toni, Filippo Inzaghi, Alessandro Del Piero, and Vincenzo Iaquinta.
Ciro Immobile hasn’t featured for Italy since Spalletti’s first game. Gianluca Scamacca was initially dropped but responded emphatically, finishing the season with an impressive 26 goals and assists for Atalanta. Giacomo Raspadori, a versatile forward favored by Spalletti, hasn’t been a regular starter for Napoli.
Mateo Retegui, Argentinian-born, has shown promise with four goals in six caps, generating media buzz as a potential solution at center-forward. However, Scamacca’s strong finish to the season has reopened the debate about Italy’s main striker.
A more pressing concern than the striker situation is the absence of the injured Domenico Berardi and the underwhelming form of Federico Chiesa. Chiesa, a revelation at Euro 2020, has struggled to recapture that form. Spalletti faces significant challenges in solidifying his attacking lineup. Defensive cohesion is also a question mark, given the limited time the likely starters have played together. Furthermore, the midfield dynamic without the experienced Marco Verratti, now playing in Qatar, remains to be seen, even with the inclusion of Nicolo Fagioli after his betting ban.
Gianluca Scamacca
A Touch of Italian Legend
In a unique initiative to inspire his squad, Spalletti invited Italian football legends Alessandro Del Piero, Giancarlo Antognoni, Roberto Baggio, and Francesco Totti to Italy’s training camp. His hope was that their creativity and experience would have a positive influence on the current generation. “I’d like to bring four No 10s who played in the World Cup to Coverciano,” Spalletti explained. “Imagine if the 40 (four 10s) were able to attend one of our training sessions. It’d push the boys to elevate their performance levels.”
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Expectations for Italy at Euro 2024
“We are the defending champions, so we cannot back down or shirk our responsibility to do our best,” Spalletti declared, acknowledging the weight of expectation on the Italy Euro team.
Winning Euro 2020 against England at Wembley was an extraordinary, unexpected achievement. However, Italy’s subsequent failure to qualify for two consecutive World Cups highlighted the team’s inconsistency.
The Euro 2024 group stage draw presents a similar challenge. Spain and Croatia are formidable opponents, reminiscent of Euro 2012 when Italy faced both in their group and went on to reach the final. Reaching the quarter-finals this year would be considered a reasonable and acceptable outcome.
It’s crucial to remember that Spalletti has been in charge for less than a year. While he has limited time to implement his ideas before the tournament, including warm-up matches against Turkey and Bosnia-Herzegovina, building a team truly reflective of his vision will require more time.
Italy’s Euro 2024 Squad
Goalkeepers: Gianluigi Donnarumma (PSG), Guglielmo Vicario (Tottenham), Alex Meret (Napoli).
Defenders: Alessandro Bastoni (Inter), Matteo Darmian (Inter), Alessandro Buongiorno (Torino), Gianluca Mancini (Roma), Riccardo Calafiori (Bologna), Giovanni Di Lorenzo (Napoli), Raoul Bellanova (Torino), Federico Dimarco (Inter), Andrea Cambiaso (Juventus), Federico Gatti (Juventus).
Midfielders: Nicolo Barella (Inter), Davide Frattesi (Inter), Bryan Cristante (Roma), Lorenzo Pellegrini (Roma), Nicolo Fagioli (Juventus), Jorginho (Arsenal), Michael Folorunsho (Hellas Verona).
Forwards: Federico Chiesa (Juventus), Giacomo Raspadori (Napoli), Mateo Retegui (Genoa), Gianluca Scamacca (Atalanta), Mattia Zaccagni (Lazio), Stephan El Shaarawy (Roma).
How to follow Euro 2024 on The Athletic…
(Top photo: Getty Images; design: Eamonn Dalton)
