Luciano Spalletti started planning out his squad choices and tactical set-up for Italy’s upcoming Euro 2024 Round of 16 clash with Switzerland.
The Azzurri finished second in Group B after a tough three games that saw them beat Albania 2-1, lose to Spain 1-0 and draw Croatia 1-1. The team find themselves in a fairly favourable side of the bracket, dodging teams like Germany, Portugal, Belgium and France.
Should Italy beat Switzerland in their Round of 16 tie on June 29th, they’d face the winner of England-Slovakia in the quarter-finals. Winning that game as well would see a semi-final clash against one of Romania, the Netherlands, Austria or Turkey.
Spalletti plans Italy set-up
TMW highlights how Spalletti and his Italy staff began tactical tests on the training pitch at the Hemberg Stadion in Iserlohn, preparing for their clash against Switzerland.
A three-man defence is expected to be used, with Gianluca Mancini favoured over Alessandro Buongiorno to replace the suspended Riccardo Calafiori. The Roma man would be joined by Matteo Darmian and Alessandro Bastoni in the back three, in front of Gianluigi Donnarumma.
A 3-4-2-1 formation could be used, seeing Giovanni Di Lorenzo and Federico Dimarco as wing backs with Nicolo Barella and Jorginho in the middle. There are still no certainties regarding the starting line-up and the Friday training session will likely prove more insightful.
Noooooooooooooo Di Lorenzo. The defenders for Georgia are better
I don’t understand this obsession with Di Lorenzo, everyone can see he has been awful in this tournament and for the whole season.
We have brought an exciting, young, fast right back in Bellanova who has had an excellent season. Give him a shot!! We may find another little gem like we have with Calafiori. He might form a good partnership with Chiesa as we keep playing him on the right.
@Fabio C because he trained him at Napoli and that season he was good, Spaletti though is a bit of a dreamer (not the good one, more like the lalaland one..) and is fixated that he is the best Italy have got(not!) so we suffer by watching him crumble every match, he is so nervous your unborn son could do better…