Off the back of a rollercoaster period for the Azzurri which saw the highest of highs and the lowest of lows, the Italians return to the European Championships as holders – a title dulled by the Azzurri’s absence at the 2022 World Cup after failing to qualify.
This time successfully qualifying, Italy finished second behind England in Group C after a nervy finish allowed them to progress by an extremely slender margin, beating Ukraine to second place on goal difference.
Throughout Spalletti’s short stint in charge so far, the team have looked a far cry from their championship-winning best three years ago, but have a really good chance of making it far in the competition if the Italian can figure out how to connect the dots.
What to expect:
Lining up alongside three-time Euro champs Spain, dark horses Croatia and a very unlucky Albania in Group B, Italy face an early test to break out of the group.
The Azzurri looked strong in places during qualifying but stumbled at the only real test against England, both home and away, which could spell trouble for when Spalletti’s side take on the tried-and-tested Spaniards and the stubborn Croatians.
They have the opportunity to hit the ground running with a favourable opener versus Albania and find their rhythm ahead of real challenges later in the group stage.
Star Man:
Inter Milan defender Alessandro Bastoni continues to develop his game with each passing season. Beginning to establish himself as one of the best defenders in Europe, the 25-year-old has become a vital part of Inzaghi’s Inter Milan steamroller which utterly dominated the Serie A last season.
At six foot three inches tall, the player has an important physical profile paired with an outstanding eye for a long pass, which rarely falls far from its mark.
Young star:
Already a regular in the Italian setup at just 24-years-old, Napoli striker Giacomo Raspadori finds himself as one of the youngest members of an ageing squad. The attacker worked under Spalletti at Napoli during the title-winning season, where he featured all across the front line. His positional flexibility will be a useful asset to Spalletti, who can utilise the player across various tactics and formations depending on the quality of the opposition.
Manager:
Luciano Spalletti accepted the role of Italy head coach off the back of winning Napoli’s first title in 34 years, collecting an emphatic 90 points in the Serie A. Spalletti’s influence is clear to see through Napoli’s decline since the Italian’s departure, even whilst retaining the majority of their star players of last campaign.
Spalletti took the reigns at the Azzurri in 2023 following the unexpected resignation of Roberto Mancini, who now manages Saudi Arabia. The former Napoli boss has big shoes to fill, as it was under former boss Mancini that Italy secured a near-flawless Euro campaign last time out.
The Italians have looked decent under Spalletti to date, though still a far cry from the quality of 2021’s title winners. Spalletti’s remodelled three-back structure has yielded positive results in the last few matches as the Azzurri face the first major tournament without defensive duo Chiellini and Bonucci in 16 years.
Schedule:
Italy v Albania – 15/06/2024 – Signal Iduna Park
Italy v Spain – 20/06/2024 – Veltins Arena
Croatia v Italy – 24/06/2024 – Red Bull Arena Leipzig