Spalletti’s Italy, two decisive matches: Andrea Di Caro’s comment in the Gazzetta

We know, the championship is everything for Italian fans. And when it then presents a head-to-head between old rivals, such as Inter and Juve, it is clear that the focus is entirely on the matchday in Serie A. Today, by beating Cagliari in Turin, Juve could overtake Inter at least for one night waiting for the Nerazzurri’s match in Milan against Frosinone. Garcia at Maradona must beat Empoli if he doesn’t want to risk a possible dismissal during the break. Milan, on the other hand, is called to Lecce to confirm their performance against PSG: eyes on Leao, who is asked for continuity and not just flashes of a champion. And then again tomorrow there is the Roman derby, ignited by the back and forth between Sarri and Mourinho, coaches thirsty for points to put a ranking not in line with their ambitions back on track. In short, with a weekend like this it goes into the background whether Spalletti has pulled some new names out of the hat for Italy’s commitments against Macedonia and Ukraine.

Luciano’s challenge

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But no, it should be the championship that takes a back seat for once. Because the week of the break and the matches of 17 and 20 November are not, as in the past, an annoying stop to the adrenaline of Serie A, but one of the most important moments in our recent football history. After having failed two World Cup qualifiers in a row, failing to participate in the next European Championship in Germany as reigning champions would be a disaster for our movement. Spalletti courageously took charge of a difficult situation not only in terms of the standings, but also on a psychological and environmental level after Mancini’s farewell-betrayal. However, he immediately restored pride, a sense of belonging, cohesion, ambition, compactness, rules and a game in line with his history as a coach: an offensive team, which tries to dominate the match, with schemes and movements with and without the ball, without neglecting balance and the defensive phase. A two-sided debut in Macedonia, where he had preferred not to change too much compared to the past, then much clearer choices and some “shoulder moves” that led to a fundamental and deserved victory in Milan against Ukraine. With England we knew that the gap was large, we had perhaps deluded ourselves that so much had already been settled and we were punished by the best English individuals: above all the new star of world football Bellingham and the celebrated champion Kane. The awakening was abrupt, but that defeat at Wembley did not affect the journey. And although the result was clear in the end (3-1), it still left some positive aspects for at least an hour in which the Azzurri took the lead and often played on equal terms. In the distance, however, the most complete and quality-rich national team emerged, the English one, which today is probably, together with France, the strongest in Europe. We will think about bridging the gap with these battleships better equipped than ours, making the most of our team game and trying to repeat the feat of the last European Championship, once we have qualified.

mission germany

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We need four points: in the event of success against Macedonia, Italy would join Ukraine on 13 and – by virtue of the 2-1 success achieved at San Siro against Rebrov’s team – they would have two results out of three available . If Italy drew against Macedonia, they would instead be forced to beat Ukraine on the final day. Otherwise we would go to the playoffs, with all the risks that entails. To achieve his goal, Spalletti also called up some new faces and some returning ones (Colpani, Cambiaso, Buongiorno, Calabria). Zaniolo returns after the betting case and Jorginho sees himself again. The good condition of the attack with Kean, Politano, Raspadori and Scamacca protagonists in the last period gives us hope. Four points and we go to Germany. Come on, it can be done.