Cesare Prandelli has mused on the differences he sees between Serie A and other leagues, such as La Liga and the Premier League.
The Italian top flight has fallen in pedigree in recent years, with clubs’ continued early exits from European competition a source of discussion on the peninsula.
Cesare Prandelli has mused on the differences he sees between Serie A and other leagues, such as La Liga and the Premier League.
The Italian top flight has fallen in pedigree in recent years, with clubs’ continued early exits from European competition a source of discussion on the peninsula.
“They [England and Spain] play like us but more than us they are happy to play,” Italy Coach Prandelli has considered on the debate this week to the Corriere dello Sport.
“After the European Championships, we have looked into stress that can affect the players – the least stressed express more imagination, those that are stressed are stiff, with little flexibility and less awareness.
“In Italy, we ‘play’ three games before we even begin and this causes stress. If I have a tool that allows me to say when a player is ready and when they are not, that would help.
“We got to the European Champions Final without such a tool to tell me which players were ready and which were not and that was a mistake.
“In Brazil we will play in a World Cup that from a physical point of view will consume the players – we have to work on prevention and recovery.
“In these past two years we have sent our employees around the world to study. There are many that are ahead of us.”
Prandelli considered the difference he sees between Serie A and other domestic leagues.
“In Europe there is more intensity because the ball moves around faster. We do not have that sort of culture here.
“And it is not that we train less. We train with less intensity, but first we have to agree on what intensity is.
“It is said that in Italy there is pressing, in reality there is actually pressure. Pressing is a movement that involves four-five players, pressure is done individually.
“In Europe they are pressing, in Italy, except for the top four side, we do pressure. In fact, it has never happened before that the team that are top has more than 70 points more than the team that is in 20th.
“In Serie A we have four teams at the top and each is following a line.
“They are not influenced by how well they play, Juve play with a three-man defence, Roma and Napoli with four, Fiorentina can change, it is a good sign.
“These four teams should emphasise even further the way that they are.”
Prandelli also discussed his striking options heading out to Brazil.