Looking at the Euro 2024 group standings, which ended yesterday, you immediately notice how Zaccagni’s goal which earned the 1-1 draw with Croatia was literally decisive in allowing Italy to advance in the competition. Without that goal, Italy would have ended up among the two worst third-placed teams in the group stage, together with Hungary of the Italian coach Marco Rossi. “They were intense days – he underlines Mattia Zaccagni speaking to UEFA’s microphones, it was a very strong emotion. Obviously we didn’t think we necessarily needed a draw. Luckily it arrived. Now we’re just thinking about preparing for a very important match against Switzerland. Could it be the shock? We have always known that the national team often suffers and then emerges in the moments that count. And now we expect exactly this of ourselves.”
The goal and the celebration. “I experienced the action normally, like any other action. I didn’t even realize that it was the last action of the match. As soon as I saw Calafiori carrying the ball and that the Croatian defense was getting tighter and tighter, I I stayed in my natural position and when the ball came to me I didn’t think twice. The celebration was fantastic, with the whole bench, with all the staff, all the guys we were overwhelmed by everyone. It was really exciting.”
The relationship with Del Piero and the similarity with his goal in the 2006 World Cup semi-final. “Alex has always been my idol even though I only really met him a few days ago, before leaving for Germany. Then we spoke every now and then before and after the matches. And I spoke to him on the night of the match, I he complimented me. He was very happy for me. Yes, those two goals are very similar, I would say so.
The pitfalls of Switzerland. “We have seen Switzerland play in recent days, they are a tough team, a prepared team. They have many expert players who also play in our championship. We know that we will have to play a great match to put them in difficulty and get to the quarter-finals. They have proved to be a good team overall. We have already seen many videos of Switzerland. They are a very compact team, they play for each other and it will take a great match to beat them.
Calafiori suspended but knows Switzerland well from having played there and from his three Bologna teammates. “Yes, obviously he will give us some information about them. Unfortunately his absence will be a heavy one for us because he is a very good boy who is doing very well. But whoever replaces him will certainly do well. My favorite formation? I am a winger natural left foot so maybe a 4-3-3 or a 4-2-3-1 But the formation must be important for the team and whatever choice the coach makes, we will all be happy trying to do our best.”
Italy on the “right” side of the scoreboard. “Of course, looking at the scoreboard you can say that it is quite favorable but we have already seen in this European Championship that everyone is playing with everyone else and that the less famous teams are putting the big teams in difficulty, so we will have to stay focused and see game after game Among the surprises I really like Austria, but Switzerland is also very strong.”
A message to the Azzurri fans. “First of all I thank them for the warmth they have given me these days, I have received thousands and thousands of messages. I am very happy, I thank them and I hope they continue to support us as they have done up to now”.