Mateo Retegui scored twice during the international break for Italy, while Gianluca Scamacca replied with a goal for Atalanta against Napoli and Luciano Spalletti seems to have just three reliable options to fill Italy’s starting spot at Euro 2024.
There’s still plenty to play for in Serie A and Virginia sportsbook promos provide a thrilling way to enhance the soccer season, but friendlies against Venezuela and Ecuador were a reminder that the Euros are just around the corner. The Azzurri won both matches in the USA, the first ones in The States in 19 years and one of the biggest talking points during the break concerned the Azzurri’s potential starting forward at Euro 2024.
Mateo Retegui scored a brace against Venezuela, inspiring a 2-1 win while Giacomo Raspadori started against Ecuador, offering Luciano Spalletti different tactical options, but the Napoli forward was not as effective as the Genoa star in the first match.
Raspadori played as a false nine, a tactic Spalletti had already tried in four of the previous six matches in charge of the Azzurri. The former Sassuolo star played as a false nine, creating space for the midfielder’s late runs, while Retegui was a proper old-style centre forward who held the ball high up front when needed and, most importantly, scored two goals from two shots on targets.
Retegui made his Italy debut exactly a year ago under Roberto Mancini and has gone on to score four times in six appearances with La Nazionale. He hasn’t yet reached double figures in his first season at Genoa, with eight goals in 25 appearances across all competitions, but his impact with the Azzurri has been nothing short of impressive.
However, the race for the Azzurri’s attacking starting spot remains wide open. Gianluca Scamacca was not called up by Spalletti for the latest international friendlies, but he immediately reacted with a goal in Atalanta’s 3-0 win over Napoli in Serie A Round 30.
The 25-year-old has now scored 10 goals in 30 appearances across all competitions and started the last five matches for La Dea. Despite scoring just one goal in 15 appearances with Italy, many see him as Italy’s best option in Germany. That’s what Sky Sport Italia pundit told the ex-West Ham man after his goal at the Stadio Maradona.
“I know I have to work hard on many aspects, and I try to improve every day. These are moments and sometimes you just need that click that makes you explode. I don’t think about this. I am only focused on work,” Scamacca replied, confirming that – at least – being part of the Azzurri squad in Germany is indeed one of his targets.
Surely Spalletti doesn’t have many options up front. Lorenzo Lucca was called up for the last two games but didn’t play at all, also due to a minor muscle injury suffered before the match with Ecuador. Ciro Immobile is out of favour and didn’t even start for Lazio against Juventus on Saturday. Moise Kean hasn’t scored in 19 consecutive Serie A games for Juventus, and Andrea Belotti has one goal in 10 Fiorentina appearances. The most prolific Italian centre-forward in Serie A is still Sassuolo’s Andrea Pinamonti, with nine goals in 29 games. The ex-Inter man was not called up by Spalletti in March so the CT seems to have just three solid options for Italy’s starting striker at Euro 2024.