Spalletti: ‘Italy anthem worth 100 Champions League tunes’

Luciano Spalletti admits ‘the Italy anthem is worth 100 times the Champions League anthem’ and wants his Azzurri to prove starting from the North Macedonia match that wearing that jersey is ‘different from any club.’

It kicks off in Skopje at 19.45 UK time (18.45 GMT).

You can follow all the build-up and action as it happens on the LIVEBLOG.

This is the debut for Spalletti on the Nazionale bench, having been rushed in to replace Roberto Mancini after a sudden resignation on August 13.

“I have played some huge games in the Champions League in the past too, so I know the pressure. However, the Italian anthem is worth 100 times the Champions League anthem. So let’s just say I slept a few minutes less…” Spalletti told RAI Sport.

With Federico Chiesa and Lorenzo Pellegrini pulling out injured, he has chosen Zaccagni in the trident attack with Ciro Immobile and Matteo Politano.

“Zaccagni has quality, creativity, he knows Immobile well and it is only natural to use him there, because he is one of the best we have in that role.”

Playing in North Macedonia is also not easy for the passionate atmosphere and poor state of the pitch.

“We must ensure that we are not caught unprepared, as we must counter all those issues with our own self-esteem and strength. We have important quality, we have players who can adapt to anything, who have experience of games at this level. I expect a performance of this level.”

When North Macedonia beat Italy in that 2022 World Cup play-off, it was on the counter-attack in stoppages. Spalletti was asked if they will therefore try to press high or be a bit more wary?

“We must try to play football where we control the ball. It is within the quality of our possession that we can decide what zones we play in. If we control the ball, then we can decide that, otherwise we cannot.

“North Macedonia will go long and we must pay close attention when to track back and when to stay up there.”

There is inevitably pressure on the coach making his debut and even more with news that Ukraine and England drew 1-1, tightening up the EURO 2024 qualifying group.

“We all perceive the urgency to get a result, this is a delicate game and so is the next against Ukraine. We will give it our all. We must show that wearing the Azzurri jersey is not the same as any other jersey. This is something different from any club.”