With Italy coach Luciano Spalletti expected to use a three-man formation at Euro 2024, Inter defender Matteo Darmian could be a surprise starter for the Azzurri this summer.
Even if Spalletti has mostly used four-man defences during his coaching career, Italy’s system at Euro 2024 could be based on a three-man backline as most top sides in Serie A use this sort of formation.
Serie A champions Inter and Europa League winners Atalanta have been using this setup for many years, so their players are more accustomed to such systems, and Spalletti will want to use their experience to keep things tight in defence next month.
Spalletti used a three-man formation for the first time in March in the latest international friendlies against Venezuela and Ecuador. He rotated in both matches using six different centre-backs: Giovanni Di Lorenzo, Giorgio Scalvini, and Alessandro Buongiorno against Venezuela, Gianluca Mancini, Alessandro Bastoni, and Matteo Darmian against Ecuador.
One potential surprise starter for Italy at Euro 2024
Francesco Acerbi had been accused of racially abusing Napoli‘s Juan Jesus, so he was not included in the squad but was cleared of allegations a few weeks later.
The experienced centre-back has returned to the team for the Euros and is expected to be one of the regular starters alongside his Inter teammate Bastoni. So, who will be joining them on the right? Di Lorenzo and Darmian seem the leading candidates, given that Buongiorno is, on paper, a backup for Acerbi, Scalvini, and Calafiori, may lack experience, and Mancini is probably not as good as Darmian and Di Lorenzo when it comes to building up from the back.
However, back in March, Darmian looked way more confident than Di Lorenzo in a three-man defence, which is quite natural because the Inter defender has been switching from right-wing back to centre-back quite often at the Meazza under Inzaghi. Considering Di Lorenzo’s troubled campaign at Napoli, Darmian is the most likely candidate at this stage to complete a three-man defence with Bastoni and Acerbi at the Euros.
It makes sense, but it would also be a little surprising because, even if he scored in a 5-2 win over Macedonia in November, Darmian started just three times in eight games under Spalletti. However, his experience and knowledge of the role, as well as his fellow defenders, make him a solid candidate to start in Italy’s Euro 2024 debut against Albania on June 15.
Italy players will begin training in Coverciano on Friday, May 31, when Luciano Spalletti will hold his first pre-Euro 2024 press conference.
The Azzurri will play international friendlies against Turkey and Bosnia and Herzegovina before flying to Germany, so in the next few weeks, there will be more precise indications about Spalletti’s tactical decisions.
I like the idea of that, Inter Milan have had a solid last few seasons with great winning mentality.
It makes sense, with Di Marco at left wing back & Barella in the midfield, I like it, let’s not forget Frattesi is also an option especially coming off the bench as an impact player.
Forza Azzurri
Frattesi WILL make an impact!!!