Italy coach Luciano Spalletti invited four Italian legends, Roberto Baggio, Alessandro Del Piero, Francesco Totti, and Giancarlo Antognoni, to watch an Azzurri training session at Coverciano before Euro 2024 this summer.
The Azzurri CT released an extended interview with Il Corriere dello Sport, talking about Euro 2024, Napoli, his former player Daniele De Rossi and his football vision.
“I’ll feel I am the national team coach only when I bring Italy forward at the Euros,” he said, talking about the Azzurri.
“The national team jersey is special. When you join the national team, you know you must fill the jersey and wear it all the time. You must train well during the two hours of the session and have an appropriate attitude during the remaining 22 hours. I’d rather have a player with less quality, but morally intact. Some time ago, there was a debate on my consideration of rest. On the fact that one must be rested when he goes to play. This simple concept can’t be labelled as the Spalletti code, but it must be a mandatory professional duty.”
Spalletti had previously warned his players that they would not be allowed to play PlayStation while with the national team, and Italian media saw this as a message directed at Atalanta star Gianluca Scamacca, who was not called up for games against Ecuador and Venezuela. However, Spalletti didn’t name any specific player in his latest interview.
“It is a general thing that must be interpreted,” he said.
Spalletti invites four Italy legends
“When we start preparation for the Euros at Coverciano, I’d like to bring four No.10: Baggio, Del Piero, Totti and Antognoni,” the CT continued.
“I’ve already spoken to Gravina about this. Think about them watching a training session. It would push the lads to raise the bar. The Federation will soon send invitations. If you want, I can also mention a No.10 between the sticks and not only.”
This time, a clear reference to Italy’s delegation chief Gianluigi Buffon.
“I knew Gigi as a great goalkeeper, a man of football and a dressing-room leader,” said Spalletti.
“But at this moment, I’ve understood that he is also a close friend and that, as a director, he’ll be at the same level as the big champion he was. He has proved to have knowledge in an entirely new role. And if words aren’t enough, it will be enough to look at him to understand where we want to get.”
Spalletti denied FIGC President Gabriele Gravina had called him before Roberto Mancini’s resignation.
“Those who say such a silly thing forget that it was Mancini who handed his resignation in, and he did it suddenly,” insisted Spalletti.
“I met the president for the first time in the coming days and I can say he was really struggling.”
Should Italy be confident for the Euros?
“Confidence must match the love we feel for the national team. The more you love it, the more confidence you have,” replied Spalletti.
“We must fear nobody. We are the tool to reach happiness. It’s the quality of those who love us.”
What will Spalletti do after the national team?
“I always live as if I could change my fate at the last moment,” he concluded.