LONDON (United Kingdom) – Luciano Spalletti speaks at a press conference on the eve of the match at Wembley against England, which will be decisive in the qualification process for the 2024 European Championships.
20:50
The valor of England
Spalletti then focuses on England’s strength: “In my opinion the English national team is at a top level, of the highest quality. So we will have to be doubly good at being a compact team and at the same time making recognizable choices for the whole team. If we are going to stretch ourselves a lot, if we are not able to have our percentage of ball possession then it will certainly be a difficult match for us. I’m also a bit curious to see what our attitude and behavior will be against a top-level team“.
20:40
The police raid in Coverciano
Spalletti continues to speak at the press conference and we return to talking about the police raid in Coverciano: “It was a trauma for the team, we found ourselves having the authorities almost inside the locker room. We were a little hurt, surprised. But we’ve had a full day since we said goodbye to them (referring to Zaniolo and Tonali, ed.) and many of us went to hug them before they returned to their clubs, to their homes. The boys involved were devastated: when a group stays together and experiences the matches as a national team, important relationships are always created. Relationships are the second thing they will carry with them into life, other than results. I think this is a vice that can happen among young people, we have committed ourselves to telling them many things and we will continue to follow them to give them the possibility through knowledge for what is the most important entertainment for them“. Is the big match with England coming too soon? “The correct summary is not to train alibis, alibis should not be found. We have to play the game and what we have prepared for, we cannot go onto the pitch scared because of the color of the shirt, the name of the shirt in front of us, the stadium in which we play. We have to play football. With Gravina we discussed the possibility of having places to make kids understand what we want to do, now there are videos which are an important medium. Now it’s not like we can go and do an hour and a half workout. So, if you send them images, then they will be returned to the field. Today Gravina was saying if she could carve out a small space, two small spaces where we could find ourselves in this pause. They advised me to go and visit them in the cities where they play. But videos are a fundamental thing for showing new theories and new horizons“.
20:30
The absence of Zaniolo and Tonali
Spalletti was then asked about the resignation of Zaniolo and Tonali, overwhelmed by the betting storm in Coverciano: “I don’t ask for anything more than what I have available for this match. It’s clear that there are results that sometimes don’t go as you would like, but there is always a strength available that allows us to play the football we want. This week I saw great attention, the head on the piece. I saw great order in preparing for the match, I am very confident about our performance. Regarding this misfortune that we have all suffered and which has affected some young people in our football, it is something that we regret, it hurts us. They were strong players, but we have an obligation to move forward, to take into consideration whether these guys will have a correct reaction to what happened to them and consequently bring them back because they are strong players. But we don’t depend on them for the result we will be able to achieve in the match“.
20:25
The fear of Wembley
On the possible fear of some players in playing in a temple like Wembley, Spalletti responds as follows: “Football is made up of opportunities and probably those who don’t believe in this have thoughts that don’t let them see it. Here you can really evaluate what level you are at, these are the situations that we must love. We love and must love these comparisons here, this is what makes the difference. The comparison with reality always gives you the dimension of who you really are and we must not escape from this comparison, otherwise we need to change jobs“.
20:20
Spalletti and the organization of the national team
Spalletti continues speaking: “The secret to achieving a great result is never just one thing, but the sum of the things you have prepared. Today with Gravina we discussed making things available to stay in touch even during the macro-break between November and March, contacts in the field and not just by telephone. We didn’t come here to play the football we want, but the game we want. It will all depend on the quality of our ball possession. If we can keep the ball longer than them we have a better chance of winning the match. Then there are those who think differently, who don’t want to give space behind the line to play in the open field. But from what we see today in a European comparison, those who play holding the ball win more. This is an idea that I agree with“.
20:11
Spalletti starts speaking
Spalletti’s press conference has begun. What do you ask of your players for the Wembley match? “We did everything to get important answers, there is nothing precise other than playing free football, football made of fluidity and personality. I expect modern football, dynamic football, as must be done now especially against teams of this level here. Scamacca? It could also be his game. I saw the European Championship final like everyone who loves football. I think that was a unique story for those who lived it and deserved it. It would be unfair to make comparisons then it’s clear that we want to be inspired by what happened in that match and perhaps make it become our history and our identity. We will do everything for this. We want to make a comparison with reality“.
20:10
Spalletti’s work
Di Lorenzo’s conference continues: “Spalletti also works a lot in terms of communication. But it all also starts from the players, they are a great team but we have the weapons to put them in difficulty. A lot will depend on the quality we put on the pitch when we have the ball“. Then the discussion shifts to the betting case and on the police raid in Coverciano from a few days ago: “It didn’t affect the preparation for the match, the team always remained focused. The week was pretty intense, with specific training, we are ready for tomorrow. I don’t know the difference, now we are at the beginning of a new journey with a new coach. Italy in the European Championship was very strong, it had a united group and this led us to win the European Championship“. Then, about Tonali and Zaniolo, having left Coverciano, he says: “I prefer not to talk about it, we are humanly close to the two companions and then I don’t know what will come out. I’ll just say this“.
20:03
The Bellingham Peril
Di Lorenzo talks about the strength of Bellingham, among the fittest in England: “He is a very good player. He started the season very well, but we didn’t study anything in particular just for him. We prepared well to face the entire English team as best we could“.
20:00
Di Lorenzo and Spalletti coach Azzurri
Di Lorenzo again on Spalletti’s newly created national team: “I saw growth. We have worked a lot these days, there isn’t much time, but the main thing is that everyone is available. I know the coach better, but I saw the desire on the part of my teammates to do well and to start this new course. There was an improvement from everyone compared to the first meeting, tomorrow we will be able to test our strength. I found the coach the same, very excited for this new adventure. We are all ready to follow him and do well“.
19:50
Di Lorenzo at the press conference
Di Lorenzo starts talking in the press conference: “Coming back to this stadium makes me remember the good moments I had with the national team, we played more than one match here, not just the final. In March a Napoli they played better than us, they were superior, but tomorrow’s match will be another. It will be a good test for us too to understand what level we are at, in this second meeting we had more time to get to know the coach. We will be ready to play a good match. They are a great team with great individuality. But we are strong, we will have to prove it tomorrow night. We started a new journey with a new coach, we worked really well this week“.
19:40
Di Lorenzo: “It’s nice to remember that night…”
Di Lorenzo also spoke today on the social channels of the Italian national team: “It’s always nice to remember that match and that night, but we will have to be good at putting it aside and facing what will certainly be a difficult match. We worked really well in this meeting and we are ready. Tomorrow we have a great opportunity because if we win we could join them at the top of the group“.
19:32
Press conference soon
Within a few minutes the conference between Spalletti and Di Lorenzo will begin at Wembley Stadium in London.
19:29
Spalletti and the embrace of Vialli and Mancini
Playing at Wembley against England brings to mind the final of the last European Championships, won by the Azzurri on penalties: “The embrace of the very important victory of the last time will remain in the history of the Italian national team – says Spalletti to Sky – we have to go and get those emotions, like the hug between Mancini and Vialli“.
19:25
Spalletti: “The start of my dreams at Wembley”
Italy’s technical commissioner also spoke to Sky today: “I’m very happy because I’m going to play a match in a stadium that is the beginning of where I started with my dreams, to then be able to get there. The international footballer sees this match as an opportunity to qualify without thinking about the subsequent ones. We know their strength and history, but in these circumstances our dreams come true, this is the match in which you feel happy to be able to overcome the limits, this means having personality for a tough team and not finding an excuse in the strength of the opponent . There’s no need to think about the subsequent comfort matches, everyone is capable of showing off there“.
19:20
Spalletti targets England: “We’ll see who’s better”
The coach again on the FIGC channels: “We want to go there and play the game openly to show that we have our history, our potential and our values. We will see who is better. The boys are serious people: they have committed themselves, they have created availability and in these 15 days showed me that they have the head to play matches at this level. They say that the key to success is having self-confidence, the key to having self-confidence is how you prepare. And the boys for how they are prepared they are ready”.
19:15
Spalletti: “Away from the comfort zone”
Spalletti already spoke on the Italian national team’s social channels this afternoon, projecting himself on the match against the English: “This match is a test to measure where we are at. We don’t have to go looking for easy things because the comfort zone is what kills your goals and dreams. You have to be in situations that allow you to grow, to measure yourself to go to a higher level. And this is the ideal match. The international footballer is the one who sees this as the qualification match and does not wait to postpone it to the following matches“.
19:05
Soon Spalletti will have a press conference with Di Lorenzo
The Italian coach Spalletti will speak at 7.30pm, Italian time, together with Giovanni Di Lorenzocaptain of Napoli.
Wembley Stadium, Londra
2023-10-16 18:30:00
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