The technical commissioner of the national team Luciano Spalletti gave an interview to the microphones of ‘Vivo Azzurro’ at the end of Italy-Belgium 2-2: “That episode happened (Pellegrini’s expulsion, ed.) which is total coincidence and bends you in two because you’re left with ten men before the end of the first half. Then you also score goals for that episode and in the locker room at half-time the players are no longer as calm as they were in the first half.”
Spalletti’s analysis of the second half: “They showed that they have a great head, a great heart and great availability. When there are two top-level teams like these two, it matters about scoring goals, knowing how to manage the ball but it also matters about suffering because then the team that manages to be more team for as many minutes as possible within the match is the one that has the upper hand”.
Was Italy your best until 2-0?
“Yes, it’s true, it was a beautiful Italy. Perhaps better than the previous two.”
LEAGUE A, GROUP 2
Italy 7 points
France 6
Belgium 4
Israel 0
CLICK HERE to reread the Italy-Belgium report cards.
Italy-Belgium 2-2, the scoreboard
Italy (3-5-1-1): Donnarumma; Di Lorenzo, Bastoni, Calafiori; Cambiaso, Frattesi (45′ st Bellanova), Ricci (25′ st Fagioli), Tonali (35′ st Pisilli), Dimarco (25′ st Udogie); Pilgrims; Retegui (35′ st Raspadori). Available: Di Gregorio, Vicario, Buongiorno, Gabbia, Lucca, Maldini, Okoli. All.: Spalletti
Belgium (4-2-3-1): Casteels; Debast, Faes, Theate (23′ st Vranckx), De Cuyper; Tielemans, Mangala (23′ st Castagne); Doku (42′ st Fofana), De Ketelaere (23′ st Lukebakio), Trossard; Openda (42′ st Ngonge).
Available: De Wolf, Vandevoordt, Bakayoko, Bornauw, De Winter, Engels, Ngonge, Smets. All.: German
Referee: Eskas
Markers: 2′ Cambiaso (I), 24′ Retegui (I), 42′ De Cuyper (B), 16′ st Trossard (B)
Ammonites: Donnarumma, Pisilli (I), Trossard (B)
Expelled: Pellegrini (I)