FIGC chief Gabriele Gravina agrees Luigi Di Biagio was ‘not a failure’ but admits Italy’s European Under-21 Championship exit is ‘an ugly stain on our colours’.
Di Biagio resigned as the Azzurrini’s CT on Tuesday after they crashed out of the U21 Euros at the group stage but defended his reign at a Press conference.
FIGC chief Gabriele Gravina agrees Luigi Di Biagio was ‘not a failure’ but admits Italy’s European Under-21 Championship exit is ‘an ugly stain on our colours’.
Di Biagio resigned as the Azzurrini’s CT on Tuesday after they crashed out of the U21 Euros at the group stage but defended his reign at a Press conference.
“There’s bitterness about our failure to qualify for the [2020] Olympics and for not having achieved an important objective [winning the U21 Euros],” Gravina told reporters.
“Di Biagio is right: it wasn’t a failure in terms of the work done and youth development, but it’s certainly an ugly stain on our colours right now.
“Tomorrow afternoon we’ll have a technical meeting. I want to meet everyone and make some reflections. We’ll come out with a new technical framework soon.”
In more positive news, Italy’s women have reached the World Cup quarter-finals for the first time ever.
“The girls are giving an extraordinary testimony to the world of football in terms of enthusiasm, without gender distinctions.
“We’re rooting for these girls. Now we have a challenging match against the current European champions.
“It’ll be a very tough and difficult game, but we hope to succeed in achieving the ultra-historic and exciting objective of the semi-finals.”
The Azzurre face Netherlands on Saturday afternoon.