Manuel Locatelli went from Marco Verratti stand-in to key cog in the Italy midfield at Euro 2020, writes Susy Campanale.

Italy’s history of major tournaments tends to rely on the player who wasn’t meant to shine, or even at times be in the squad at all. The man you don’t expect who takes the spotlight and becomes an icon of that era for all those who watched it. Paolo Rossi in 1982. Salvatore Schillaci in 1990. Francesco Toldo at Euro 2000 filling in for injured Gigi Buffon. The emergence of Fabio Grosso as unexpected hero in the 2006 World Cup. Can Manuel Locatelli be that figure in 2021?

There had been suggestions another Sassuolo youngster would make his mark when Giacomo Raspadori was a last-minute addition to Roberto Mancini’s roster, but instead it is Locatelli who has surged from stand-in for Marco Verratti to irreplaceable for that midfield. Good luck pushing him out of the starting XI now, as the 23-year-old scored twice in the 3-0 win over Switzerland, having also created the opening goal with an inspired volleyed pass from midfield for his club teammate Domenico Berardi.

It’s not as if Locatelli is entirely a surprise for Serie A viewers, as he has been excellent for Sassuolo this season. As if Milan fans needed any more reason to rue his early departure, this tournament will only intensify their irritation with former director Leonardo for pushing the Rossoneri youth product out in 2018.

He’s not the only one who carried on his fine Serie A form into the European stage, as Leonardo Spinazzola is another player who is really making a name for himself. Roma reaching the Europa League semi-finals should’ve raised his profile already, but what people probably didn’t recognise was just how badly the Giallorossi fell away every time he was missing. Wrap him up in cotton wool, Mancini, because Emerson Palmieri is not a suitable replacement for the lung-busting left-back who covers the entire flank and skips past opponents with consummate ease.

Lorenzo Insigne had previously struggled to replicate his Napoli form for Italy, but he has absolutely brought his A game to the Euros. Crucially for both Insigne and Berardi, they have set aside their previous tendency towards selfishness and now seek the pass first, leaving the extraordinary solo strike as the second option. That is a huge advance for both players, even if we might see fewer trademark right-foot curlers from Insigne. It’s worth it for the sheer range of passes he can provide to his teammates.

When it comes to replicating club form in the Azzurri jersey, we cannot help but turn to Ciro Immobile. Once again, he missed several really big chances, but just as the ‘put Andrea Belotti on’ crowd was growing louder, the Lazio striker popped up with a scorcher. It’s easy to criticise the centre-forward, but the fact remains he has two goals in two Euro 2020 appearances, plus an assist. Imagine what he can do if he hits one of those purple patches that he’s so prone to at club level…

Immobile is probably the only player – other than the ageing Giorgio Chiellini and Leonardo Bonucci – who didn’t benefit from the postponement of the competition from last year. The 12 months have given all the others valuable experience, playing time together as a team and at club level, to aid their development. Locatelli wouldn’t have been ready a year ago, but now, he’s ripe for the picking. Berardi has matured, Spinazzola is more confident, Jorginho has won the Champions League and Nicolò Barella the Scudetto.

You can say Italy haven’t been tested that much, which is fair, but who has impressed the most in the competition so far? I don’t see any side that delivered a greater balance between defence and attack than the Azzurri. They can only beat who is in front of them and the Nazionale are making up for lost time on the international stage. Whisper it, but this Italy team is really good…

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