Italy legend Fabio Cannavaro says Italy are ‘at a crossroads’ and believes Giorgio Chiellini and Leonardo Bonucci can stop Romelu Lukaku: ‘They did it already.’
The Azzurri face Belgium in the UEFA Euro 2020 quarter-finals on Friday.
Roberto Mancini’s side won the first three group stage games but needed extra time to beat Austria in the Round of 16.
Many fans and journalists see similar features to the 2006 Italy side that won the World Cup, but Cannavaro, the man who lifted the cup 15 years ago, thinks otherwise.
“Please don’t make comparisons with the past. This Italy side is similar to itself. They are improving and everybody must be in symbiosis with the group and the coach to create something unique,” the former centre-back told La Gazzetta dello Sport.
“I like the brand of football they play and the results they are achieving. You don’t remain unbeaten for 31 games if there’s no consistency. Now, we are at a crossroads, we must match the playing style with results.
“Tension is rising and everything can become more complicated really quickly and a bit of luck is also needed,” he continued.
“With no hypocrisy, we’d be lucky if Belgium will be without De Bruyne and Hazard, but it would be wrong to prepare the game starting from their absences. For me, De Bruyne is the No.1 in the world for his vision and quality in the last pass and he also scores consistently.
“We can’t think that 1 vs. 1 duels will make us win. Belgium are stronger under this aspect as they have four or five players who can win the game single-handedly. I think of Lukaku or Mertens, even if the Napoli striker is not in his best form.
“Beware of Witsel, who I coached at Tianjin. He is a complete midfielder who can do everything well.”
Romelu Lukaku will be one to watch closely, but both Chiellini and Bonucci know him well, having faced his Inter side several times over the last few years.
“Chiellini and Bonucci have already proved that Lukaku is not unstoppable, Acerbi too. Preventive markings must be spot-on and so the ‘filter’ in midfield with Jorginho. Otherwise, everything will become more complicated,” said Cannavaro.
“This is not the same Belgium we faced in 2016, they are more mature and among the favourites for the victory.”