In the Coverciano laboratory Luciano Spalletti study and evaluate theItaly for the challenges of next Saturday and Tuesday against Malta e England with a precise objective: to collect the highest number of points. Possibly 6, full loot, because this round of European qualifiers could prove decisive given that the top four in the group face each other, the English are in the lead with 13 points, behind Ukraine and North Macedonia with 7 (the two teams face each other in Prague on October 14).
Italy has the same points but one game less than its three rivals, having been involved in the final phase of the Nations LeagueSpalletti made his debut on the Azzurri bench with a draw at home to Macedonia (1-1) and a home victory over Ukraine by 2-1, now two crucial matches await him.
The national team started preparing yesterday with exercises on the pitch and video work, today he also joined Giovanni Di Lorenzo who seems to have recovered from the knock to the ankle suffered during Napoli-Fiorentina: the Azzurri worked on the 'Vittorio Pozzo' pitch, also present were the boys from the Viola Primavera who took part in particularly intense technical tests.
Federico Chiesa, who is continuing his recovery program (the Azzurri are hoping to recover him for the trip to London), and Jack Bonaventura, who did differentiated work for precautionary reasons, did not participate in today's session. It is still early to choose the lineup, Spalletti (who is keeping 4-5 players alert in case of forfeits of the players called up at Coverciano) will have to evaluate whether to adopt a massive turnover between the Malta game (which will be sold out at the San Nicola in Bari: 50.000 tickets sold out of 53.000 available) and the game against England, or change without upsetting.
The starting formation is announced as 4-3-3: without the injured Immobile, Scamacca and Raspadori will share the shirt in the center of the trident, with Berardi or Zaniolo on the right, Kean or Orsolini on the left (waiting for Chiesa). In the midfield, Barella, Cristante, Locatelli, Tonali and Frattesi are raring to go (open ballots), in defense it will be up to the recovered Di Lorenzo on the right, alternatively Darmian, on the left Dimarco or Biraghi, but watch out for Udogie; in the middle, Bastoni, Scalvini, Acerbi and Mancini will alternate.
“We are in the middle of a project that has just started, something good has already been seen, the first half in Macedonia and 70 minutes with Ukraine were beautiful to watch and this is thanks to the availability of the boys, the great football knowledge of his staff made up of high-level professionals”, declared the head of the National delegation Gigi Buffon, speaking today in Nyon. The Azzurri's program includes three more training sessions in Coverciano, including the final training session on Friday morning, before leaving for Bari.
Article published on 10 October 2023 - 20:27
