It will be – in the hope of Spalletti – an Italy less beautiful, but with more substance the one that the Italian coach wants to see against Croatia, with some changes compared to the starting XI lined up against Albania and Spain.
Comment from Alessandro Antinelli after the defeat against Spain:
In Leipzig with “substance, resilience”
On the eve of the match which will seal the fate of his national team at the European football championships Germanythe Italian coach charts the path to follow so that the story of tonight's match in Leipzig is colored blue: “We are also going to change certain attitudes of the teams, we also need resilience. Are we going to try to have more substance, perhaps less beauty but more substance – assures El Shaarawy – between the changes? Everything is possible. There is always a need for complete reasoning in this team.” Thus Spalletti
Dimarco is recovered and he is available, everything indicates that he will be available, so tomorrow we will go to the doctor.” Of course, “This group can be trusted“, sums up the coach after the bad blow of the defeat against Spain.
Assumptions about training
A team that will enter the pitch at Stade Leipzig and which, depending on what happened during the morning training in Iserlohn, could see a 4-man defense with Di Lorenzo, Bastoni, Calafiori and Darmian, the latter being so instead of Dimarco. , recovered but not at its best.
In front from the 1st minute, Genoa Retegui is ready to replace Scamacca, while in midfield the Cristante option remains and the one called Cambiaso goes up. All for a 4-1-4-1 which becomes 3-4-2-1 depending on the situation with Jorginho behind Cambiaso-Cristante-Barella and Chiesa.
“Maybe I was wrong.”
“It is clear that after a match like the one against Spain the idea of changing something is there, maybe I was wrong not to change before – explains Spalletti – Now that something has been noticed, a little effort and rust, something will definitely change. Brozovic and Perisic? Everything can affect Croatia, they have everything, a lot of experience and even a few years. We'll see if we're more ready to show off our freshness. We have to face them with vivacity and intensity, they are two great people and footballers.
Always about changes Spalletti clearly indicates that he will hardly abandon Jorginho and Di Lorenzo despite their performance with the Red Furies: “Jorginho probably didn't play his best game against Spain but that's also partly my fault. He's a leader and he has great qualities that others don't have, he told the other what to do.”
“We still focus a lot on him. Di Lorenzo is like a son to me and I always find it hard to leave out someone with his characteristics. I am convinced of his value as a player and as a person. One perfectly understands the intentions of the other.” And regarding Dimarco's condition, the Italian coach considers him available for today: “He has recovered from his injury.”
“He will have to do further tests but he should be available tomorrow against Croatia.”
Bastoni: “I’m not afraid”
Among the Azzurri who talk about the match against Croatia, there is Alessandro Bastoni who dispels any hypothesis of fear: “I don't like to associate fear with football, fear can be associated with more important things like illnesses. He “There is great respect and I think that the defeat against Spain united us even more, when we lose the true value of a man and we want to demonstrate it tomorrow evening.”
“With Spain – concludes the Italian defender – we lacked self-esteem, we needed the defeat and we will show it tomorrow. “Calafiori? I feel comfortable with him, he has enormous qualities and is not afraid to play on the ball. I hope this affinity will be completed over time.” Tomorrow too, a clear predominance of opposing supporters is expected in the stands: in a stadium with a capacity of 38,000 seats, UEFA anticipates 25,000 Croatian supporters and 10,000 Azur supporters.
Wikipedia Red Bull Arena (Leipzig)
Euro 24: Croatia-Italy, the probable compositions
Third and final match of Group B of Euro 2024 scheduled today at 9 p.m. at the Leipzig Stadium in Leipzig.
Croatia (4-3-3):
1 Livakovic; 2 Stanisic, 6 Sutalo, 3 Pongracic, 4 Gvardiol; 8 Kovacic, 10 Modric; 15 Pasalic, 25 Sucic, 9 Kramaric; 17 Petkovic (12 Labrovic, 22 Juranovic, 19 Sosa, 7 Majer, 23 Ivusic, 21 Vida, 5 Erlic, 11 Brozovic, 26 Baturina, 18 Ivanusec, 24 Marco Pasalic, 3 Pongracic, 20 Pjaca, 16 Budimir, 14 Perisic).
All.: Dalic.
Italy (4-2-3-1):
1 Donnarumma, 2 Di Lorenzo, 23 Bastoni, 5 Calafiori, 13 Darmian, 18 Barella, 8 Jorginho, 7 Frattesi, 26 Chiesa, 19 Retegui, 16 Cristante (12 Vicario, 26 Meret, 4 Buongiorno, 6 Gatti, 17 Mancini, 3 Dimarco, 15 Bellanova, 24 Cambiaso, 25 Folorunsho, 10 Pellegrini, 21 Fagioli, 20 Zaccagni, 22 El Shaarawy, 9 Scamacca, 11 Raspadori).
All.: Spalletti.
Referee: Danny Makkelie (Netherlands).
Rainnews Azzurri in Leipzig on the pitch
