Nations League: Italy wants to attack again with Spalletti

Has left EURO 2024 behind him and is moving into the future with an aggressive approach: Luciano Spalletti.
IMAGO/Marco Canoniero

The time before the European Championship in Germany was short – too short, it seems. In the end, Luciano Spalletti, the successor to the successful coach Roberto Mancini, who had moved on to Saudi Arabia, was unable to write a glorious chapter. Italy was eliminated. Clearly. Green. With a 0:2 defeat in the round of 16 against Switzerland, which they had only just reached.

Subsequently, there were frictions and discussions within the FIGC (Federazione Italiana Giuoco Calcio), which called for new elections, stuck with the newly appointed Spalletti and chose goalkeeping legend Gianluigi Buffon as the new sporting director of the Squadra Azzurra.

A turbulent time.

More enjoyment, less pressure

And a time that Spalletti wants to leave behind as a lesson for himself and his selection. Before the new “season” with the Nations League start in France (Friday, 8.45 p.m., LIVE! on kicker) and against Israel (Monday, 8.45 p.m.), the Napoli champion of the 2022/23 Serie A season is looking very optimistically into the future – and also into the distance towards the 2026 World Cup.

At his press conference on Monday at the start of this international break, Spalletti gave insights into his thoughts and rounded things off by talking about the failed European Championship in Germany, when he also chose some final words for his protégés after the defeat against Switzerland (“Not aggressive enough, too slow pace, lack of rhythm”).

The Azzurri coach now went back to his insight at the time (“I probably need to get to know my team a little better”) and said: “I may have put too much pressure on them back then and didn’t give them the opportunity to simply have fun in the Italy jersey. That will change in the future, “put less pressure on them” and then ensure “that they can enjoy the beauty of playing in the Azzurri jersey more”.

The approach

But his approach towards the World Cup in the USA, Canada, Mexico (June 11 to July 19, 2026) also includes tough measures, something Spalletti did not want to hide: “I have to be careful about trying new things or choosing a new approach.” But it is time for new things – and that inevitably means excluding some players.

I will form a new group, a new team.

In short: Spalletti may no longer want to nominate older, more experienced Italian national players and instead open the door to more young players. Just as Juve coach Thiago Motta has already done in Serie A with the up-and-coming homegrown player Nicolo Savona (21) or Roma coach Daniele de Rossi with the Roman-born Niccolo Pisilli (19).

His self-imposed credo: “I will form a new group, a new team.” What could that mean from a tactical point of view? The Italian coach will commit to a basic formation, not change too much and thus give the players more freedom in the system – and simply more opportunities to make spontaneous decisions. A kind of instinctive football.

Captain and coach of the Squadra Azzurra: Gianluigi Donnarumma (left) and Luciano Spalletti.
IMAGO/Italy Photo Press

But that doesn’t mean that it will be wild. Spalletti made that clear in the same breath: The 65-year-old Tuscan (born near Florence) is determined to commit to three central defenders in a defensive line of three and two clear wingers. “To my mind (at the European Championship; Editor’s note:) was probably a bit too demanding that we should defend with a back four, build up with a back three and basically switch systems during the game, which was probably a mistake.

From now on, Spalletti wants to “always play 3-5-2 or 3-4-2-1”.