Luciano Spalletti’s national team is backawaiting the two Nations League matches against Belgium (Thursday in Rome) and Israel (next Monday in Udine). The Italy coach spoke at the press conference from Coverciano talking about various topics, also focusing on some individuals: “How much does this Retegui make me feel at ease? I’m happy when I see the players growing and full of moments of good things. Mateo gives us He had already proven to be an extraordinary professional and a reliable goalscorer, he is an expert player for our national team in that department, a strong footballer. Clearly if they score goals the enthusiasm increases and they do even better things.”
Why Cage and not Cats? Italy has turned to a three-man defence, yet in the championship teams like Napoli and Juventus have returned to a four-man defence. Is this a returning trend? Looking ahead, can it cause any more difficulties?
“Matteo showed that he knows how to command the defensive department, that he is a very attentive and intense player in his way of acting. He always keeps the line very high, he often talks to his teammates. We had this need and I was happy to call him up , it is a further pleasure to have a player from Milan because it is a club that can give us a lot even if there are not many Italians now. Gatti had this problem to fix, he was in a position to recover even if he had come. But we want them healthy the players: last night Fiorentina immediately informed us of Kean’s reaction and so we are okay. To do well we would need one more player, but we are fortunate to have midfielders who are confident with scoring and this is a good thing. detail that gives us peace of mind. Calling another player is something that can be done, even the day before the match, but if all things go in the right direction we are fine. Second question I say that the coaches adapt to the characteristics of the players players, in the last Napoli match that I saw Politano also played at full flank. It was a bit of both. In their daily work, the coaches find the correct balance: there may be a further evolution in this fact of the three central players, 3-4-2-1 or 3-5-2 are very similar, in the possession phase you cannot see the difference . I don’t see complete flattening in the modules, there must be more possibility of getting new and sudden things.”
If Fagioli and Ricci are at the top, when does one prefer the other?
“They are both very modern players, they could both play both roles. We have two games: I don’t want to make people think that I prefer one more than the other. In this role as coach the first thing I have to know how to do is make the players believe players that I love him. Then I have to choose eleven and I’ll go and do it: Ricci has a little more dynamism, a little longer range of action, but they are both technical players, with game change and vision of the game. Perhaps Ricci has a little more impact without the ball, but Fagioli has shown that he has these visions with the ball that the others don’t have: he has clean play and the ability to go further. I’m calm with both of them in that role. I had called him up previously, they criticized me for Fagioli because I had brought him in without ever playing but I believe in him.”
Can the match against Fagioli’s Leipzig be a new starting point?
“I looked at him carefully and he has indelible qualities. Then in Juventus there are other players who can play in his place, but it seems to me now that he is well organized mentally: he wants to show his talent and we are ready to take him.”
Read coach Luciano Spalletti’s full press conference here