Italy assistant manager Alberico Evani celebrates the 2-0 Nations League victory over Poland. ‘When you stick with attacking principles, you are rewarded.’
Jorginho’s penalty and a late Domenico Berardi strike secured the result at the Mapei Stadium, sending them top of the group, despite having 21 players pull out due to injury or COVID.
Italy assistant manager Alberico Evani celebrates the 2-0 Nations League victory over Poland. ‘When you stick with attacking principles, you are rewarded.’
Jorginho’s penalty and a late Domenico Berardi strike secured the result at the Mapei Stadium, sending them top of the group, despite having 21 players pull out due to injury or COVID.
“It’s our culture, Italians give their best during difficult moments and become more united. It’s what I asked of these lads before the game and they were extraordinary,” he told RAI Sport.
Evani is standing in for Roberto Mancini, who is self-isolating at home following his COVID-19 diagnosis.
“We stand by the attacking principles of football and Roberto has been working on them for two years. When you stick with it, in the long-run, you are rewarded.
“I spoke to him at half-time, he said we deserved a few more goals, so we need to be a little more efficient upfront, but the overall performance was good.”
It was a makeshift Italy squad this evening, but the best performers were the least experienced, as Alessandro Bastoni was on his second cap and Manuel Locatelli the fifth.
“We have these young players who are growing, gaining experience and showing they play like veterans.”
Italy are top of the Nations League group and their final game is away to already-relegated Bosnia-Herzegovina on Wednesday.
“We always take it one game at a time, we had to win, we did it even with all those difficulties. Now we want to recuperate some energy and end the group on a high.”