Luciano Spalletti tested out some of his tactics for the new Italy in training today and hinted he is sticking with the 4-3-3 formation.
The former Napoli coach will make his debut on the Nazionale bench on Saturday in Skopje with a trip to North Macedonia.
According to Sky Sport Italia, Spalletti has already shown a few differences from predecessor Roberto Mancini by showing zero tolerance for players withdrawing from training for tiny knocks or twinges.
Unlike most other recent call-ups, it was notable that all 29 players called up took part in the full training session.
So far, even if it has been seen only in glimpses during the sessions that were open to the media, it looks as if Spalletti is sticking to the 4-3-3 formation.
He had two sets of teams face off against each other in drills, both of them in 4-3-3 shapes.
Matteo Politano and Mattia Zaccagni were tested out as the wide men of the trident, while Ciro Immobile and Giacomo Raspadori alternated as the centre-forward.
Early reports point towards Giovanni Di Lorenzo and Federico Dimarco as the full-backs, with Nicolò Barella and Sandro Tonali expected to get the nod in midfield.
The team flies out to North Macedonia on Friday, then after Saturday’s game will return to Italy and stay at Milan’s Milanello training camp until Tuesday’s match against Ukraine at San Siro.