On the eve of the highly anticipated Euro 2024 round of 16 clash against Switzerland, Italy national team coach Luciano Spalletti spoke at a press conference, sharing his thoughts on the team's performance and his expectations for tomorrow's match at the Olympiastadion.
"It's always the same thing: we weren't able to play at the level we're capable of," Spalletti said . "At times, yes, but we didn't maintain it over time. We have to realize that we can't afford to have the lapses in concentration we had at the start of the second half."
The coach emphasized the importance of maintaining high concentration throughout the match, especially now that the team is at the heart of the competition. "Being at the heart of the competition gives you the level you always have to show; there's no other option. In terms of personality, I expect something more than what we've shown so far."
Spalletti: “Dimarco out, Mancini plays in place of Calafiori”
Referring to the upcoming match, Spalletti praised the work of his Swiss colleague, Murat Yakin. "My colleague Yakin is very good; his team is comfortable on the pitch and showed their quality against Germany. We know, from what we've seen and from firsthand experience, that there are players like Xhaka, a world-class player. But these are all things that are part of the level of football we can manage and that we must showcase with our quality."
During the press conference, Spalletti also updated his players on their fitness. "We'll have to see Bastoni tomorrow. He trained separately, he's feeling a bit better, and he's had a slight fever again. We've tried to rest him. He had his first training session today, but we'll see how he responds tonight. Dimarco won't be there. Mancini will play in place of Calafiori; he's experienced."
Spalletti also reflected on the pressure of facing a tough draw and the importance of entering the pitch with the right mentality. "We have to do something better than what we've done so far. It was a tough draw, and you could see that the players were a bit affected by it, as I probably was too. Now I expect to see them more relaxed; you can't just go around thinking and calculating. You have to act. We'll advance to the next round if we manage to win this match."
Spalletti: “Buffon charged us up and brought Berlin back to life”
Finally, the coach spoke about the importance of the historical legacy and the support of the fans. "Buffon is on the bus with us. Gigi talked to us about that final, making us relive the emotion we felt at home. We know we have this match to honor as well; it's an added responsibility, just like knowing we have fans all over the world. Against Albania and Croatia, the Italian fans were in the minority, but we knew the Italians were there cheering us on on TV, a feeling of affection that can still be felt even if they're not there."
