Italy’s Nations League matches: five things we learned | OneFootball

It is accepted wisdom that the Azzurri are slow starters in September but they ripped up that rule book against France and Israel. Giancarlo Rinaldi reflects on a triumphant start that was welcome – and unexpected – in equal measure.

We left Italy in a pretty sorry state in the summer. Having limped out of the Euros, La Nazionale was lacking in much direction, optimism or hope. There were plenty of people questioning the appointment of Luciano Spalletti and the quality of the players at his disposal. They did not answer all those criticisms with two group wins in the space of four days but they did, at least, give a show of character. Here are a few things the two away victories taught us.

Tonali is back

It would be unfair to heap too much pressure on a man who has been biding his time on the sidelines for a season but, just the same, the Newcastle midfielder has hit the ground running. His display against France – with a sublime assist for Federico Dimarco – was the kind to have fans drooling. His coach recognised his importance to the team and also his determination to make up for lost time after his ban from the game. Previously weighed down by comparisons with past greats, he now looks free to deliver as his own player. He provides zest and drive in the centre of the park that was sorely missing a few months ago.

Crazy for Frattesi

Some players have a happy knack of delivering for their national team even when club matters are not going so well. Davide Frattesi hardly ever played more than an hour for Inter in Serie A last season but that has not stopped him becoming a star man for his country. As he helped to deliver Italy’s first win over France in Paris in 70 years he became the top scorer of the Spalletti era and then he added one more with his chest against Israel for good measure. Without a prolific striker as of yet, this team must be grateful for a man who can time his runs from midfield as well as he does.

Ricci’s riches

There was a clear need to rejuvenate and revitalise this Azzurri side and nobody symbolised that more than the Torino man. He showed both class and character to take on one of the world’s top sides on their own ground and try to play his football. His composure and quality was a really pleasant addition and he confirmed the good impression with another impressive display in Hungary. This new generation might not be a team of superstars but the Tuscan midfielder showed that he can stitch together a side that was in danger of coming apart at the seams.

Plucky Luciano

He had faced accusations of being inflexible and perhaps unwilling to blood a new generation but he got his picks spot on for the France game and, less convincingly perhaps, against Israel. It was not the revolution some had hoped for but still he showed the vision to spot some quality additions while building on the quality he already knew he possessed in the likes of Riccardo Calafiori, Federico Dimarco, Gigio Donnarumma and Alessandro Bastoni. Perhaps he has shaken off his bad mood from the Euros and can work towards a clearer vision and sort out a still leaky defence and concerns over the right-back position with Giovanni Di Lorenzo continuing to struggle.

Football needs fans

If the win over Les Bleus was an epic in front of vociferous and passionate home support, the same could not be said of the victory over Israel in Budapest. The empty seats of the Bozsik Arena made for an atmosphere that was a depressing reminder of the behind closed doors days of Covid. The best thing that could be said of the game was that Italy managed to focus on the job in hand and not treat it too much as a friendly. They had their scares against more lowly opposition but, in the end, they had enough quality and spirit to pick up three points.