Early morning on June 25th, Italy drew 1-1 against Croatia in the last round of the European Championship group stage. After the game, Italy’s head coach Spalletti refuted the outside world’s questioning of his tactics, saying: “Obviously, once we make basic mistakes on the field, any tactical layout will face a severe test.”
The match was intense and exciting. Italy was almost eliminated at the end of the game, until Zaccagni staged a desperate counterattack in the 98th minute, equalizing with a beautiful right-footed shot, saving the day and securing their place in the knockout stages. Spalletti said: “The game ended in such a dramatic way, undoubtedly intensifying emotional fluctuations, especially when the outside world generally didn’t think we could win. The players still maintained their belief and responded calmly. Even with only 3 players in the backline, they effectively controlled the risk. I can only congratulate them and thank them for their response and their ability to cope with such a powerful attacking lineup.”
Italy’s performance in the first half was unsatisfactory. Spalletti admitted: “Indeed, we were far from our best in the first half. We created very few opportunities and naturally struggled to score. We seemed content with a draw rather than actively pursuing a win. Although it wasn’t our intention, I expect more from the players, because they have the ability to turn the tide.”
Regarding discussions about tactical layout, particularly whether the 3-5-2 formation is too conservative, Spalletti retorted emotionally: “We are not conservative at all. If our weakness lies in our inability to launch attacks smoothly from the back, then no matter what formation or tactic we adopt, we will face difficulties. The way we conceded in the first half is completely unacceptable. This has nothing to do with being tactically conservative, but rather a matter of the players’ mentality and performance quality. If we don’t perform to our potential, if we only do the basics and nothing more, then we will be in trouble.”
Regarding the penalty controversy caused by the substitutions, Spalletti explained the rationale: “The substitutions aimed to exploit the gaps on the opponent’s flanks. Unfortunately, this strategy was not effectively executed.”
Regarding whether Italy lacks quality or failed to fully showcase their potential, Spalletti stated: “They have the potential, they just sometimes make elementary mistakes. Our team is stronger than what was shown today. Jorginho and Barella performed well, Calafiori is a top player, with well-rounded skills. We have the ability to launch attacks from the back, but we need to improve our execution efficiency.”
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