This page is no longer live, but check back soon for more Live Blogs!
Follow Luciano Spalletti and Nicolò Fagioli’s press conference live on the eve of a friendly match against Vincenzo Montella’s Turkey.
Spalletti and Fagioli address the media at a press conference in Coverciano on Monday.
The likes of Gianni Rivera, Roberto Baggio, Alessandro Del Piero, Francesco Totti and Giancarlo Antognoni will watch the Azzurri training session today.
The match against Turkey will be played at the Stadio Dall’Ara in Bologna on Tuesday, June 4 at 21:00 CET.
Spalletti will preview the game alongside Fagioli, the Juventus midfielder who has recently returned to action after a seven-month ban for gambling.
This morning, Federico Gatti and Gianluca Scamacca arrived at Coverciano. The striker played the last game of the season for Atalanta against Fiorentina on Sunday, while Gatti replaces the injured Giorgio Scalvini who suffered a cruciate ligament injury against the Tuscans.
Gatti had already been put on alert following Francesco Acerbi’s injury. The Inter defender underwent surgery this morning.
Follow the press conference live below
End of Spalletti’s press conference. Now technical briefing and then training session.
More to follow.
Scamacca insisted on Sunday that he is not lazy, what is Spalletti’s view?
“Even [the journalist] asking the question were lazy. He didn’t mention the many nice things I said. I don’t want to attack anyone, I don’t insult my players. Sometimes you must say certain things to your sons if you don’t want them to be spoiled. I said many nice things, he is a great goal-scorer, but if you look at the stats, he’d lose against many. In today’s football, you can no longer have a striker and 10 other players running for him. That being said, he arrived this morning, he was smiling and I hugged him.”
“Gatti will come to Germany and Pellegrini can be a No.10, but Barella can be a No. 10 too. Because he makes those surprising moves that opponents don’t expect. He sees things where others see walls. Then, the quality of the team must make a difference, and we want to become a united team that breathes the same air and emotion. What we experienced today [with Italy’s legends], will give us a lot.”
“Those with this technique can always play together. The problem is being able to keep the ball for 60 minutes, make physical duels, and run behind the opponents, which is much more tiring. So in these situations we’ll need players who are more accustomed to recovering the possession and tackle.”
“We decided to play another match the following day so all players will get the same playing time. So, two consecutive matches give me the chance to let them play for the same amount of time, and it’s important to me.
“Di Lorenzo could play as a RB, and Darmian can play on the left, too. Orsolini will play in Bologna [against Turkey].
“These 10 days are fundamental for Fagioli. Some complain because players are tired at the end of the season. When we have one who is rested [Fagioli] it’s not fine anyway. All training sessions are tracked. He completed all training sessions.
“Tomorrow the CF will be Retegui and the GK Vicario.
“I can’t say them all, some are tired so we need to assess them well. We’ll see tomorrow as well.”
“There is another match the following day, against the U20 squad. Of course we must start putting in a few players who I believe will be starters.”
“I want to see that we go ahead with the work. It was not easy to leave somebody at home. But it’s not just the game. To me, there is always a game. We have a way to train for different situations. The training session is developed with the roles. I see the quality of players and their replies every day. Of course, the game is different, but the daily work determines how you play a game.”
“They said great things which we will repeat every time we play. If I say a couple of things, it won’t have the same value as what Baggio, Del Piero, Totti, Antognoni and Rivera say. They have a bigger chance to enter your soul when they say something.”
Baggio said: ‘The biggest enemy is responsibility when you wear this shirt, but you must face it, or you are going to lose it.’
Del Piero: ‘It’s true that there is pressure, but you have a great opportunity, and you’ll remember this pressure with a smile when you’re older. You’ll face the best in the world and nothing is better than this challenge.’
Antognoni said it was nice to see many players who he had seen in the youth teams.
Totti said it’s important to go on the pitch to win and possibly have fun.
Rivera suggested to play attacking football and he helped me in my duty because it’s what we want to do.
“I’ve good very good feelings because the team is training properly. The lads have developed all things really well. We can’t put on the automatic pilot, but we are on a good path.
“We are available to absorb what the clubs did. We can learn for everyone, so we take responsibility for the beauty we inherit.”
“These are things you’d never want to hear. We send our hug to Giorgio, hoping he can return ASAP. He is a good guy, a great professional, and the future of modern football. As a central defender, he knows how to do many things. In today’s football, players like him are needed. I’ve seen enthusiasm from everyone, even those who remained at home like Federico [Gatti]. Seeing him arrive with his shoes in the hands and sweating means a lot in terms of where we want to get.”
End of Fagioli’s press conference, Spalletti will start soon.
“I’ve played in different positions. I prefer playing in front of the defence even if l also like left Mezzala.”
“The reborn was 7 months ago when I was suspended because I understood the importance of what had happened and I returned to normal life. It would be amazing to go to the Euros because it’d be the first time for me at a major tournament.”
“Turkey are a strong side, so it will be a tough match. There are no friendlies for Italy. Calhanoglu has proved to be one of the top 3,4,5 midfielders in the world. He was one of the few people to call me after the ban. I met him a few times, he’s a fantastic person.”
“U17? I am happy they are in the [Euro] Final. I hope it will end differently than me because I lost in the Final against the Netherlands. The Euros are thrilling even at a youth level.”
“I must be myself, I must do the things I know and be calm. The most important thing is to give my best and have fun on the pitch.”
“I feel ok mentally. I’ve been working for seven months for being here, and I was looking forward to this moment. I am living this week at my best. Every moment is amazing, like this morning when we saw the 5 No.10.
“I support Juventus, so among them 5 my favourite is Del Piero but I love them all because they played for Italy and helped us win important trophies.”
“I met the coach on the pitch last season when he was the Napoli coach. Then he visited Juventus during a training session [this season]. He called me in March to ask how I was feeling personally. We casually met before the Coppa Italia Final. We were at the same hotel and I was about to go to sleep, but he told me: ‘Sit down because we need to talk.’ He said he’d watch me in the last 2 games to see how fit I was.
“I learned about the call-up from the internet. I was resting and I saw many messages on the phone, so I realised there was something beautiful going on. I didn’t believe those who said I could be called up. When it became reality, it was fantastic, and I will give my best to be in the team.”
“Surely, I was surprised by the call-up because I had spent seven months on the sidelines. I am a friend of Locatelli, we are friends and surely he is upset for not being here. I talked to him and I said he deserved to be here. I am sorry and I stand by him. Now I must focus and try to be called up.”
“In today’s football is important to be able to do different things, with the club and the national team so we must adapt in the best possible way.”
“During that long spell off the pitch, I always trained with the target of coming back for the final games of the season with Juventus, hoping to be eligible for the Euros. Being here is already a great emotion. The coach will decide on the final 26-man squad.”
We start with Fagioli
Fagioli has arrived already, waiting for Spalletti, who will be here in a minute.