Spalletti on Italy draw with Turkey, Barella injury and squad considerations | OneFootball

Luciano Spalletti reflected on Italy’s friendly draw with Turkey, the condition of Nicolo Barella and his final Euro 2024 squad considerations.

The Azzurri are gearing up for their final friendly ahead of the European Championship in Germany, facing Bosnia and Herzegovina on June 9th. Their recent 0-0 friendly draw with Vincenzo Montella’s Turkey gave the coach and his staff some indications ahead of the upcoming tournament.

The pressure is on Spalletti and Italy to perform well at Euro 2024 after the painful failure to qualify for the recent World Cup in Qatar. The Azzurri enter the tournament in Germany as defending champions, having lifted the trophy in Wembley Stadium back in 2021.

Spalletti press conference

Speaking in a press conference via TMW, Spalletti first discussed his Italy squad’s 3-1 win over the U20 squad in the in-house friendly.

“In some parts it was good training, on the other hand they did things well and also created some problems for us. The match was played correctly to receive the information we wanted and to equalize the work with those I picked yesterday.

“Now they will go home for a day and a half of recovery with the same workload. There were some complications with Meret, a slightly tired muscle.”

Spalletti was then asked if he was worried about Nicolo Barella following his minor injury scare and who could be cut from the squad for the European Championship.

“I trust my doctors a lot and they told me that it’s almost certain he will make it, we are very confident for the game there. But then you have to see the development because there’s a rush to start again and there’s some things to do.

“Everyone gives the squads on the 7th, why do you want me to give them on the 5th? If something happens then I have to go back with the ratings. I’ve decided, but there are still 2-3 things to fix.

“For example, Meret stopped in the warm-up, there and then it’s one thing, tomorrow the feeling may change. He felt the muscle contract a bit, but it has to be assessed. Tomorrow we’ll know the extent of the injury better.”

Spalletti gave his thoughts on Nicolo Fagioli and Samuele Ricci, and spoke about the draw with Turkey.

“I like both of them because then I decide to bring them on and then the ratings can go even further, you have to assess things thoroughly. It was a good game, Scamacca did well. It was hot today so the guys can go home with their families for dinner time, these are all little things that make a team and a group.

“Then this morning we reviewed yesterday’s game, and we are convinced that many things were done well, in the phase of non-possession we did very well and we often went for these things by twenty metres. You can do some counters, but if there are many it becomes more difficult.

“Of course, on the corners and in the final third we can do better, the exchanges in the box have to be done better but we have the quality to do it.

“At the start of the second half, we did very well. There are positive things and others to be reviewed. But let’s not forget that Turkey have many strong players who play in top teams.”

Spalletti was asked about the most and least satisfying parts of the training in Coverciano so far.

“What has satisfied me the most is the fact that we have chosen the players well, I also told them this morning. The group is important and this fact of also being able to take charge of our teammates’ things, of giving credit to our teammates, are all qualities that are contrary to selfishness.

“We all share equally, and I am very satisfied with that. The only concern is that I live up to the quality that they have, I hope to be as good a person with them as they are with me.”

Spalletti commented on why he put certain senior players in the U20 squad and why Gianluca Scamacca is in the squad.

“It’s an imposition compared to what I had available, I have these names and I have to put them on the pitch. Fagioli played a little yesterday, it was a way to let him play just one half, El Shaarawy I know him well and he has improved since I had him. On Scamacca, you set your sights on him, it was you who called him lazy.

“But he’s been ready, he had his training yesterday, everything is okay. There are these two situations that because we are Italy, we experience all things with a bit of apprehension, but for now everything is under control and quite normal. It’s okay to have these little difficulties of having to be careful with someone with the quantity of training.”

Spalletti was asked if he had any reflections about changing the system.

“When you lose the ball often, you can’t go pressing all the time. Bringing in these long-running wide players is something that has started and should be kept in mind, there are more and more teams playing with 3-5-2 or 3-4-2-1.

“It’s something that can be done, it changes the size a little, so you don’t find yourself in defence with three players against one.”

Spalletti discussed the idea of deploying Ricci and Fagioli should Barella remain injured.

“It seems difficult to me because then you have to leave loopholes elsewhere. I think it’s difficult, but these are all evaluations I want to make calmly after seeing today’s match.”

Spalletti gave his thoughts on Michael Folorunsho and the appointment of Antonio Conte at Napoli.

“Folorunsho gives you different solutions with physicality, then he has a good long shot and is good on headers. Set pieces are a struggle in the competition, they solve a lot of games so having a bit more physicality can help. And then he’s used to playing there, chasing on the wing.

“He is a striker in his own right, used to having the opponent on his back and that’s where he holds his own. Also, I don’t have to comment on anything that happens at Napoli.

“I’m pleased that they manage to get coaches of a certain level and value who are top, it’s a sign that they have worked to get top people. I would like to see Napoli again… I am a Neapolitan citizen.”

Spalletti was asked what he’d say to the Italy players not joining the squad in Germany.

“That I’m sorry. And I’d like to hear that you are always available for the Azzurri. This group is more or less the same one that I will take with me in the future, along with those I left at home and who are part of the squad of players under our control.”

Spalletti discussed Andrea Cambiaso and Giovanni Di Lorenzo.

“Cambiaso is a player we had already called up, but a couple of times he was injured at the time of the training camp. By now he is specialised, he knows how to aim at the man and yesterday when I played him higher, he showed he can do both phases.

“He’s an intelligent player, he uses his right and left foot very well and he has a relationship with the team’s game. He has a bit of everything and it’s easy to fall in love with him. Di Lorenzo in my opinion had a good game, especially 2-3 lightning-fast stops.

“Then there wasn’t much quality in the rebounds, but that’s a part of the context and the game. As for his situation at Napoli, I haven’t spoken to him about it, he’s old enough, he has the maturity and everything it takes to assess what is right for him, for his person and for his career.”

Spalletti was asked if the three players left behind would continue to train in case they’re needed.

“Changes are possible until the day before the first game for particular reasons and that’s why they will be asked to remain in consideration. We’ll say that I should draw up the list of 26 tomorrow evening.”

Finally, Spalletti discussed how Riccardo Calafiori was playing abroad a year ago and if there was any near-sightedness.

“The problem is that we don’t go abroad much, we should go and get more of these experiences abroad. Players from our leagues prefer to be on the bench at home rather than play abroad in second-tier leagues.

“When you go abroad, you don’t have all those digressions that you can have at home, there you get the desire to come back and put into practice what is a character and quality growth to be seen and noticed, to be brought back here.

“It’s no longer very fashionable to work your butt off but it always gives you greater strength. If you stay here, you prefer to be on the bench, never play, the agent prefers to keep you here, you get little experience.

“This is one of the reasons why so few players grow. We have few players who go abroad to gain experience.

“Our youth national teams are all of a high level, then we see that at a certain point we struggle to bridge the gap, if you don’t have space in Italy, you should go elsewhere to find space for yourself.”