Italy Under-21 Coach Gigi Di Biagio “got the response I was looking for from some players, not from others” after a 0-0 friendly with Austria.
This was the penultimate friendly test before Di Biagio has to name his squad for the European Under-21 Championship.
“We had a good opening half-hour, then lost our shape. We gave the ball away cheaply, created our own problems and lost some confidence in a game that we had started so well,” the Coach told Rai Sport.
Italy Under-21 Coach Gigi Di Biagio “got the response I was looking for from some players, not from others” after a 0-0 friendly with Austria.
This was the penultimate friendly test before Di Biagio has to name his squad for the European Under-21 Championship.
“We had a good opening half-hour, then lost our shape. We gave the ball away cheaply, created our own problems and lost some confidence in a game that we had started so well,” the Coach told Rai Sport.
“At times the forwards did things we had worked on, in others they did not. I was already well aware that there was work to be done and we will do it.
“I got the response I was looking for from some players, not from others. We need to create more scoring opportunities and deal with various moments of the game better.”
Austria had several players booked for rough tackles and play-acting, while a couple were perhaps lucky not to receive red cards.
“We expected Austria to play like this, as it is their style of football and towards the end we got irritated and frustrated at their aggression, the closing off of all the spaces.
“On Monday we’re against Croatia, who have a very different style of football, one that is closer to ours.”