Spalletti: ‘Italy must prove we can handle potential’ | OneFootball

Luciano Spalletti feels Italy ‘proved our capabilities’ by beating France, but against Belgium the pressure is on to show ‘we can handle our enormous potential’ and play consistently.

It kicks off at the Stadio Olimpico in Rome at 19.45 UK time (18.45 GMT).

You can follow all the build-up and action as it happens on the Liveblog.

This is the first match that Italy have played since the death of Italia ’90 legend Totò Schillaci last month at the age of 59, so a video compilation will play and the stadium will go dark in tribute to the World Cup top scorer before the game.

“They will be emotional moments that pull us into the importance of the game and teach us how we should approach it,” Spalletti told RAI Sport.

Spalletti wants Italy consistency now

The Nazionale are hoping to build more momentum after starting the Nations League campaign with a 3-1 win in France and 2-1 victory over Israel.

They have now settled on a 3-5-2 formation, this evening with Lorenzo Pellegrini supporting current Serie A Capocannoniere Mateo Retegui upfront.

“It would be very important, as we proved against France that we have the capabilities to be at the top of world football. Tonight, we must prove that we can handle our enormous potential, that we can put what we want into the game consistently.”

Spalletti chooses the same starting XI that played the 3-1 win in Paris, which had started in the worst possible way by conceding a goal in the opening seconds, but managed to turn it around.

“I confirm the same side, because it proved that it has strong mentality too, considering what happened at the start of that match, which is not to be taken for granted.”