San Siro, November 13, 2017. Italy failed in the second leg of the play-off with Sweden (0-0 and in the first leg 1-0 for the Scandinavians) and was left out of the 2018 World Cup in Russia. A terrible blow for a country in love with football and its 'nazionale'. But, three and a half years later, at the hands of Roberto Mancini, the ‘azzurra’ is once again beautiful, not only in terms of results but also because of their game. The selection, so far, the most beautiful football in this Euro 2020. But now Luis Enrique's Spain crosses his path on Tuesday in the semifinals.
“Spina, Spina”, the Mancini players shouted on Friday in the coach, together after eliminating none other than Belgium (1-2), trying to comfort the seriously injured Leonardo Spinazzola. Spinazzola himself was struggling in his seat between the pain and sorrow for the injury he had just suffered and the joy for the pass to the “semis” of this Italy in whose ranks he has carried out a stellar Eurocup.
With Mancini, Italy is a united bloc also off the field. A combination of the experience of the Giorgio Chiellini or Leonardo Bonucci and of the new generation of international ’azzurri’. A “squad” firm as dictated by the tradition of “Calcium” but with a taste for good attacking football. Fast. Lethal in the way he pushes. Mancini has managed to make such a merger successfully. Quality, conviction, mentality. It is a pleasure to see this Italy play.
Of the starting eleven of that fateful November 13, 2017 in the second leg of the play-off against Sweden, only 4 players were starters this Friday against Roberto Martínez's ‘red devils’: Bonucci, Chiellini, Jorginho and Ciro Immobile. Andrea Belotti, who entered the second leg of the play-off for Gabbiadini, replaced Immobile against Belgium in the 74th minute. Lorenzo Insigne, scorer of the second goal on Friday against the Belgians, was on the bench against Sweden that fateful night for the fans Italians.
Along with these illustrious veterans, the rest of the backbone of present-day Italy are players made their debut by Mancini himself, who took office in May 2018 to relieve Luigi Di Biagio, acting after the departure of Gian Piero. Ventura in the wake of the San Siro disaster. Spinazzola had already premiered at the ‘nazionale’ in March 2017, under the command of Gian Piero Ventura, but it was Mancini who made him the starter.
The current Italy coach made his debut in 2018 to Domenico Berardi, Nicolò Barella (one of the key players in the ‘azzurra’ media and scorer of the first goal against Belgium) and Federico Chiesa, in 2019, to Giovanni Di Lorenzo. In 2021, Rafael Toloi. When Gianluigi Buffon retired from the national team in 2018, Mancini gave the starting job to Gianluigi Donnarumma.