Luciano Spalletti called on late Italy
great Gianluca Vialli to protect the Azzurri after a "tough"
Euro 2024 draw against Spain, Croatia and Albania on Saturday
night.
"We will have to defend at certain times, but the idea is
always to propose offensive football: and may Vialli protect
us," he ex Napoli scudetto winning coach said of the former
Samp, Juve, Chelsea and Italy legend who was no 2 in the Azzurri
set-up under former coach Roberto Mancini, who led Italy to
victory over England in the last Euro final at Wembley.
"It could have gone better: it's a tough group, but we have to
face this European Championship with the awareness of being
Italy. A lot will depend on how we arrive in June, on our mental
condition and form, said Spalletti, who took over from Mancini
after the former Inter and Man City boss, and Vialli's strike
partner at Samp, left for a lucrative Saudi national coaching
job in the summer.
Italian Soccer Federation (FIGC) president Gabriele Gravina tod
Rai public broadcaster: "We are relatively satisfied. As in all
draws we hoped for some less challenging situations, but we saw
that it could have been even worse. We are convinced we can do
well, and Spalletti is confident".
He added: "More than worrying about the opponents, I would
concentrate on putting together all the energy to prepare us. I
would like the possibility of having a Monday and a Tuesday, in
January and February (for extra training camps, ed.), to have
the boys to start certain talks."
Spain are arguably the best technical team in Europe, Croatia
play the most attacking football, and Albania were the
revelation of the qualifying rounds.
After the opening Euro 2024 match between hosts Germany and
Scotland on June 14 in Berlin, the Azzurri take the field for
their first match against Albania in Dortmund the following day,
June 15.
The other matches are against Spain in Gelsenkirchen, a fond
memory form the 2006 World Cup victorious campaign, on JUne 20,
and against Croatia in Peipzig on June 24.
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