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Free Weekly Pod - Euro 2024 Preview Show: Italy (Ep. 424)
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In this special preview edition of Italy in EURO 2024, we are joined by broadcaster and journalist Adriano Del Monte for a deep dive analyzing all aspects of Luciano Spalletti and his Azzurri team in the European Championship.
From breakdown of squad, importance of injuries and other players not available, to the draw, analysis of group stage opponents and much, much more when Nima, Carlo and Adrian break down all the Azzurri talking points ahead of EURO 2024.
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Transcript
Euro 2024 Preview: Italy in Group of Death
00:00:02
Speaker
Welcome to the Italian Football Podcast. Hello everybody. I'm Carlo Garganese and welcome to the Italian Football Podcast special preview of Euro 2024. Euro 2024 kicks off on Friday, June the 14th. Italy drawn in Group B with Albania, Spain and Croatia, the group of death.
00:00:24
Speaker
And
Meet the Panelists: Carlo, Nimma, and Adriana
00:00:24
Speaker
to preview the tournament in Germany, I am joined by Nimma Tavalli, as always, and also our good friend Adriana Del Monte, who is one of the world's top football and sports presenters and broadcasters. For
Podcast Viewing Options and Exclusive Content
00:00:38
Speaker
those of you listening to this podcast, you can also watch this show on our YouTube page.
00:00:44
Speaker
And for those of you who want to receive all of our content that we do each week, then go to patreon.com slash TIP and become a subscriber for just $2.99 a month plus VAT. We're
Italy's Euro 2024 Content and Stuart Pearce Interview
00:00:56
Speaker
going to be doing lots of exciting content during these Euros, lots of shows in and around Italy's matches, previews, post-match reaction, lots of interviews with big names. Yesterday, I actually interviewed England legend Stuart Pearce.
00:01:11
Speaker
So lots to look forward to. But the
Italy's Return to Major Tournaments: Expectations for World Cup
00:01:14
Speaker
first thing I want to ask you guys is just how excited are we for Euro 2024? It's been three years since Euro 2020. Italy didn't qualify, of course, for the 2022 World Cup, the second World Cup in a row that we haven't qualified for. So finally, we can watch Italy again in a major tournament. NIMA
00:01:39
Speaker
How excited are you? Are you excited for the euros that are about to begin?
00:01:46
Speaker
Well, I'm very excited that Italy have qualified to a major tournament. I mean, it's not exactly been, we've not been spoiled with that, have we recently, even though Italy did win the Euros and our reigning champions, but it's, you know, these, these summer tournaments are really, you know, very exciting.
Italy's Football History and Euro 2024 Excitement
00:02:02
Speaker
Generally, whether it's a World Cup or the Euros. So I'm really looking forward to it. I'm really excited to see it. And I also want to see, because as I've said before, this tournament for me is more prep for the World Cup. For me,
00:02:15
Speaker
Italy have to be ready in two years time for the World Cup. And for me, this is just a dress rehearsal and building a stepping stone, a building block towards that tournament. So I'm kind of excited to see what Spalletti is doing because we're going to get into it. But he can't play his usual formation. He's had to adapt to that. And I'm kind of excited to see what he does and how the team react to that.
00:02:40
Speaker
And Adrian, we were there together at Wembley at Euro 2020, some really special memories there. Now you live in Italy in Milan. What is the mood in Italy now ahead of the Euros? Is there excitement?
Italy's Football Culture and Impact on Youth
00:02:54
Speaker
Is there hope and expectation that we can do something magical again? We know how the Italians are. There's very
00:03:02
Speaker
Very rarely that we see optimism, I think, coming into this tournament. Look, there's excitement that we're back in a tournament. I think Nima said it well at the end of the day. Since Euro 2016, to have only been in one international tournament in all that time is
00:03:18
Speaker
is ridiculous. One tournament in eight years. I often think about children growing up. A lot of my childhood memories are built on Italy in World Cups, Italy in European Championships and obviously every two years grateful to have had that and for the generation of kids coming through that haven't really even experienced that.
00:03:38
Speaker
It's just so important to see it's the irrespective of the quality or if we're comparing to teams of old, it's so important for the sport and for its growth progression that we're back at this stage of the tournament. So from
Luciano Spalletti's Tactics for Euro 2024
00:03:51
Speaker
that regard, a lot of excitement. There are a lot of kids out in the streets in Italy shirts. I was out early this morning.
00:03:57
Speaker
there is the feeling that an international tournament is coming. And obviously to be back a part of that, very, very exciting indeed. And I'm with Nima on the fact that for us, I think the focus is 26. It has to be getting back to the World Cup. It has to be for Spalletti too. Also for himself to learn at this stage, international tournaments, what is required, what it takes to
International Tournaments: Uniting Italians Globally
00:04:18
Speaker
mix and match it with the very best. And obviously there are some very strong European nations at the moment.
00:04:23
Speaker
And I'm looking forward to the test. We know we're not going in as favourites. Many won't be tipping that will defend the crown, but it is a great opportunity in the group of death to really learn. And look, we know Italy in tournaments, anything is possible. So we're not ruling anything out. But I think over here, just the fact to see Italy back in a tournament is what most people are looking forward to.
00:04:45
Speaker
Yeah, for sure. And I think it's the same for all Italians around the world. I mean, you know, I'm with Italian heritage as you are, Adrian. You know, we were born, you know, I was born in England, you were born in Australia. And it's something that for all Italians, the international tournaments, even if you're not a massive football fans,
00:05:05
Speaker
you know, it brings you together. It makes you feel Italian again. And like you said, it makes you feel like a kid. I mean, not just the kids, but the adults as well, you know, it feels like Christmas, doesn't it? When a tournament comes along, you know, you get excited and you really look forward to it. And, you know, I probably see the cards behind me, you know, I've just turned 40 a few days ago, you know, but it makes me feel like a kid, you know, when an international tournament starts.
Italy's Euro 2024 Performance Expectations
00:05:30
Speaker
So
00:05:31
Speaker
I have family from Australia who like the sport, but obviously it's very difficult to follow the sport from Australia. I grew up watching football at 4am. It's very difficult to be a passionate fan. We've got other sports as well.
00:05:46
Speaker
They live for these moments. My extended family, even those who don't follow the sport, as much as me supporting Italy from abroad, it's the tournaments where you come together and you create those memories. And Spalletti spoke about that, which I loved, on their trip to the US, where he spoke about in the friendlies that
00:06:04
Speaker
yes they may be two friendlies for us but we're bringing ourselves to our American Italian fans and I think that does that is a little underrated there are Italians all over the world not just in Europe and it's truly special for this team to be back here for all of those fans and yeah we need to get back to the top there is a long road ahead but for the fans it means uh it means so much so from that regard I do I feel like a kid as well
00:06:30
Speaker
Yeah, it certainly does. So well, let's see if we can get back to the top. Let's go straight in there with the big question. And then we will break it down afterwards in some more details. Adrian,
Manuel Locatelli's Exclusion Controversy
00:06:44
Speaker
let's start with you again. How far do you see Italy going at Euro 2024? Can we win it?
00:06:52
Speaker
Look, we always can win everything. Look back at the last, look back since the 2006 World Cup, obviously it hasn't been a great period for the national team, but there have been tournaments where once we're through, once you get through that knock, the group stage, anything is then possible. And this is the thing with Italy that, again, that they've spoken about in recent days. I think it was Roberto Bajo last couple of days spoke about the meaning of playing for the shirt and what it does to players.
00:07:21
Speaker
Yes, we can win. Are we going to win on paper? No, we're not. We're nowhere near the strongest squad on paper. Yes, we have some issues. We have some some key absentees. But this team are always capable. Nuchano Spoletti is coming off success at club level. There are positives to look at. But look, I think first and foremost, it's going to be about focusing on those three group stage fixtures.
00:07:43
Speaker
I think match day one against Albania, a result, obviously a must, the three points a must. We know we can still qualify as a third place finisher. We're not trying to be negative, but obviously coming up against Spain, coming up against Croatia, we need to be realistic. But we have matched these two teams in the past. We are capable. And I think if this team are to get through the group stage, obviously it's very hard to look ahead to how the draw can play out because there are so many different permutations.
00:08:10
Speaker
There is a team there like we saw in 2020 in the European Championships where there is a core of this squad where it could blossom into something special. There are some players coming through which are young, which are hungry, which are eager. I'm looking at those positives as opposed to the fact of, oh, we're missing players, we're not at our best, everything is a bit new. Can we win? It will be tough, but if we can get through this group stage, I think anything is possible. Anything is possible.
00:08:38
Speaker
Well, exactly to build on what Adrian said, I think, you know, Italy, you know, we've seen it with these big, big countries, the Germany's, the Italy's, even when they don't perhaps have the.
00:08:49
Speaker
best, you know, preparations going into a tournament, even if they're on paper, they don't have the best players or the best players in form and so on. They, you know, when once you get to the tournament, the routine kind of sets in and we've seen it in the past. I mean, I've watched a couple of Germany teams in my lifetime reach finals where they had no business being in finals, but they did reach them. And we've seen Italy win tournaments when nobody believed in them either. So everything is possible. But Italy are far from favorites by any stretch of the imagination.
00:09:20
Speaker
Yeah, I would say, I mean, again, we'll break this down after, but I would be happy with a quarterfinal appearance and then anything from there would be a bonus for me. And that's my aim, quarterfinal. And we'll go into the, and I'll go into my reasons.
00:09:35
Speaker
after as we break down the squad and the strengths and the weaknesses as to why I think that. So let's look at the squad first thing, guys. It should be flashing up on the screen now, the preliminary squad that was announced. It was originally a 13-man
00:09:52
Speaker
preliminary squad, which then had to be cut down to 26 players.
Spalletti's Squad Choices and Italy's Strategy
00:09:59
Speaker
Those that are watching this, that 26-man squad may have been announced by the time that you watch or listen to this. But obviously, since that initial 30-man squad was announced, we have had a couple of big injuries to Francesco Acherbi, to Giorgio Scalvini, and that probably
00:10:21
Speaker
That probably brings me on to, well, we'll come to the injuries in a little bit first, but the biggest controversy when that initial 30-man squad was announced was the snub of the exclusion of Manuel Locatelli. That was the big controversy, and it was a really, really a big, big shock. Nobody was really expecting it. Now, personally, I can't really understand this decision.
00:10:47
Speaker
having watched all of the Juventus' games, yes, Locatelli has had a terrible 2024. I think that he has been mismanaged, hasn't been coached well by Max Allegri. I think since he's joined from Sassuola, he hasn't progressed at all. I think he's stagnated at best and maybe regressed from the player that we saw at Euro 2020. He was one of the best midfielders in the tournament, really, certainly in the first half of that tournament.
00:11:15
Speaker
That's true. But still, even with taking that into account, when I look at the players who were named in the preliminary squad ahead of him, and not all of these will go to the, will be in the final squad. You know, I'm looking at the likes of Ritchie, Fodorunco, Fagioli is a bit of a punt, really, having not barely played at all for seven months, or not played at all for seven months until the last two games of the season.
00:11:41
Speaker
For me, he still surely had to have gone to the Euros.
Italy's Midfield Strategy and Tactical Adjustments
00:11:47
Speaker
What do you think? Nimr, let's come to you first. Surely Locatelli should have gone to the Euros.
00:11:53
Speaker
I'm of that opinion, yes. I was very surprised to see him omitted from the squad. But I mean, when you saw what Spaletti said, he said, and when he says that, well, at the same time, I also trust his ability to read and understand the makeup of a squad and the tactical aspects of this, of what he's looking for from his midfield.
00:12:15
Speaker
So I'm going to punt it and basically say, you know, I think Spaletti has deserved us to trust his judgment. But I do think it's very strange because on the face of it, you can't tell me that Locatelli doesn't make an Italy 26 man squad for a tournament. You just can't do that.
00:12:36
Speaker
Or a 30-man squad. Yeah, well, there you go. That's my takeaway. It's a 30-man squad with respect to Ricci for the luncheon. Locatelli is Locatelli. He plays Juventus. And he was, for me most importantly, he was a part of that winning Italy squad. And he was a key contributor. That has to account for something for a team that have lost a lot of experience. This was my main takeaway. Now, Locatelli, you're right, Carlo, he's not the most informed player in world football at present.
00:13:03
Speaker
But for a team that are lacking the experience of a few years ago, for a team that have lost a lot of those key players and key figures in the dressing room,
00:13:12
Speaker
I think that alone was enough to warrant calling him into a 30-man squad, then decide. And also the allegory factor, which we won't go into Gallo too much depth, but of course, like, this has been a player not at his best, perhaps because of what has been going on at club level, I don't know. So Locatelli for me had to have been in there. I actually saw Locatelli, he was up the road for me hearing Milan the day after, having a quiet dinner with his partner.
00:13:40
Speaker
I felt for him. I really, really, really felt for him not to have been part of that squad. There were a lot of fans asking him for photos and I just felt, I feel devastated for him. We saw he took to Instagram and he put up a black page, a black screen, obviously no words for what has happened.
00:14:00
Speaker
you do feel for these players, yes, not at top four. We know that, but a frustrating season at club level would have felt he would have been a certainty to have gone to this competition and to not have made a 30-man team for me. But I just got to say, I just got to say, though, I kind of think that Spaliti did the right thing here. If he wasn't going to bring him, it's better to take that nonsense here before you get closer to the tournament. But does he not want a chance in training a couple of weeks? Well, that's the thing. Well, the thing is that I think that he's kind of already decided that he was not going to bring him on.
00:14:30
Speaker
And I think the closer you get to the tournament, that becomes a bigger talking point. Rather bite the bullet this far off in the 30-man provisional squad, because he had already decided, shelter Technica, I'm not taking him. So you might as well just bite the bullet, let that all die down, and then build up to the tournament where that's no longer a burning talking point. Because I think when you go into a tournament, you want to have as much stability and calm as possible. Had Locatelli been snubbed on June 6th, when the final squad list is going to be determined,
00:15:00
Speaker
between June 6th and the first opening games, less than a week or thereabouts, that would have been what he would have been asked every single day. Now, he did that two, three weeks in advance. That will all have been died down. The new cycle has moved on, and they can focus on the players actually there. I think that from a tactical point of view, from a media tactical point of view, was a wise decision if he was not going to bring him, which is obvious. He was not part of his plans.
00:15:29
Speaker
Yeah, I think technically, I think that's a good point, Nima. I think technically, the only explanation I have is that Spelletti wanted two registers, and he wanted two registers, and he sees Giorgino and Christante as his two registers. Fagioli will tell you that his strongest position is as a register as well, so you've
00:15:49
Speaker
if you're desperate, you've got a third, you've got a third there. Mancini, even Scalavini, okay, he's not there anymore, but when he picked this 30-man sport, maybe he looked at that and thought, you know what? I've got lots of the Jesus, and I just don't see Locatelli as a mezzala or in that two-man center field.
Injuries and Italy's Squad Depth Challenges
00:16:04
Speaker
I mean, I disagree with that, but maybe I'm just thinking inside of the head of Svaletti. Maybe that's how he comes to his decision. Maybe his performance against Venezuela, where we got overrun in that friendly, where Locatelli was playing really overrun, and he's not the most
00:16:19
Speaker
the most dynamic of players in terms of intensity and running and covering the ground and getting up and down box to box. He's not, over five yards, he's not the quickest either, I don't think. So whether that played a part in it as well, maybe, maybe. But he played well in the autumn under Spaletti, in the autumn games.
00:16:39
Speaker
I don't understand it, but there we go. Are there any other exclusions from the squad, Adrian? Are there anyone else that you think should have been in there that wasn't in there or are we just kind of lacking options? Yeah, look, I think the latter, I think it's
00:16:58
Speaker
Again, with a focus on 26, if Spalletti is going to make bold decisions like this now to implement the style he wants to play now, I'm all for it. And yeah, we may agree to disagree on some of the calls, but I think it's more about the squad and what he's trying to build as opposed to specific individual players. And so Spalletti is doing this with a longer term vision. Then I'm happy not to dispute this player should be here or that player should be there and really back the system and what we've seen.
00:17:28
Speaker
And so, no, we are not spoilt for choice with an abundance of quality that have missed out. Look at the Germany squad, some of the Dortmund players who have made a Champions League final miss out on the squad. I think a lot of those players would probably start for us, but we're in a position where we are evolving and adapting under a new manager with new ideas. And so I think it's more about having some faith in the system and what Spalletti is bringing to the table. I'm more so looking at now
00:17:55
Speaker
How do we play? How do we line up? Do we adapt to the fact that we are now missing some key figures that perhaps would have allowed us to play in Spoletti traditional style? Do we adapt with what we have? These are the question marks I have coming into the tournament now as opposed to focusing on anyone
00:18:11
Speaker
in
Italy's Strengths: Defense and Midfield Prowess
00:18:11
Speaker
particular. I think when we talk about individuals though, it is the injured players who I do feel for Scalvini, the absolute latest one with that meaningless Serie A fixture that counted for nothing. That is a tough, tough, tough pill to swallow and I again, another young man I feel for.
00:18:28
Speaker
Yeah, absolutely. We will come on to the injuries because we're going to go through Italy's strengths first and then we'll come on to Italy's weaknesses and that's where we'll discuss the injuries because we really have been decimated in that respect. So Italy's strengths, looking at our squad, NIMA, what do we have going for us? What will our opponents fear about us?
00:18:53
Speaker
I think what Italy do have in terms of going forward, I think defensive stability kind of speaks for itself. You've got Donoroum Avicario, you've got fantastic goalkeepers, probably together with Brazil, the best depth and goalkeeping in the world. Maybe even Germany can throw in there.
00:19:08
Speaker
Even with the same thing in terms of defence, playing a back three, as I've been arguing for, that look, you've got to look at what you've got. I think the back three is the best way to play for Italy with the current crop of players. And I think with that back three, with Bastani and Mancini and whoever else he wants to start with, I think I'm not worried about defence. It's when you move forward. And for me, Spaletti system, the most important thing going forward is the midfield three.
00:19:38
Speaker
The rest kind of really just is built around that. And the midfield, the starting midfield, Giorginio, Barella and Pellegrini, and that is the starting midfield. That is a midfield that I think is Italy's strength. Once again, the central midfield, because that is a midfield.
00:19:54
Speaker
that can do pretty much everything. You have Baralla, who is a Toto Campista in every essence of the word. You have a Pellegrini, who is not a real 10, but he's not a real 8. He's kind of something in between. So he can link up to the strikers. And you have Giorginio, who we know what he is. We know how safe passer he is. We know his intelligence. And of course, up front, for me, the future, as I've been saying for a couple of years now, the future of Italian attacking
00:20:22
Speaker
attacker number nine, the Prima Puntas, Jaluka Skamaka, who finally, these after Christmas, after New Year's, has started to demonstrate the incredible talent that he has, the disability of his to create something out of nothing, his ability to link up, play with his back against the goal. This incredible technique, which is very Ibrahimovic-esque, that is what I think speaks for Italy.
00:20:50
Speaker
Would you go with that, Adrian? Anything else to add to that?
00:20:53
Speaker
Yeah, look, I think a spot on there. I'm very, very content with the strong midfield under Spaletti in this system. So that for me has to be, that's important. And we're very lucky that Pellegrini has come on under De Rossi in recent seasons to become that third starting midfielder there. I think that's going to be crucial for us. Yeah, I'm right. Defensively in goal, we are solid. And we know that historically, we have been, that has been a fundamental of our game.
00:21:22
Speaker
Yes,
Bastoni's Leadership and Tactical Acumen
00:21:23
Speaker
Skamaka, wonderful. Immediately, though, when I think about Skamaka, then what's the alternative? If he's not scoring, and that's where I'm starting to think. So we've got the strengths in our 11. I think then when we look, what are our replacements? What's our backup plan? We've already lost some plays. That's where I start to lose a bit of confidence. So in attacking sense, we do have players who are capable. I'm a big Kiezer fan, so I would really enjoy watching Kiezer and Skamaka doing their thing together.
00:21:50
Speaker
where do the goals come from? So as an attacking unit, if we're not making an impact early on in the tournament, we're going to need some additional support. So I think midfield, if we can really hone in on those three, particularly Barela for me, who is our star, I think Barela is the player who can, if we are going to go deep in this tournament, Nicolas Barela,
00:22:14
Speaker
is a player who I think is our strength, is our hope. And I'm really looking forward to seeing him off the back of another strong season with Inter. I also like some of the younger players coming through. Kambiaso is a player I think can go to another level this tournament. Really, really keen. And I think when we start to break down the formation, I think given Di Loremso's
00:22:35
Speaker
recent form in his season, Cambiaso is certainly someone who can I think push into this 11 and perhaps be a surprise player of the tournament for us as well. So a few individuals from a strength perspective I hope can really blossom this summer in Germany. Can I just before we move on, I just want to highlight Bastani. I think Bastani is going to be key this tournament. I think we're now entering not just at Inter but also in the Italian national team.
00:23:01
Speaker
the golden age of Bastani. This season for me, watching him develop, because we know that he's a fantastic passer of the ball, he's reading the game, he's brilliant, he's running, he's crossing, all of these things. But my question mark around him has always been defensively. Well, this season he's taken massive, massive strides and he's been a real leader at Inter. I think Bastani and Barilla, those are the two players and Skamaka, like from the strong central line, from goal to striker, that's the key for Italy for me.
00:23:31
Speaker
from Donaruma to Bastani to Barela to Skamaka. That's going to be the important thing because I think in these international tournaments, the team with the strongest, most stable central line usually does really well.
00:23:45
Speaker
Yeah, and he needs to be a leader for Italy now as well, because we've lost a chair and obviously Keilini Bonucci were the leaders before. And now he has got to be the main man in the centre. So he has to play a... I always say in football, it's like in a movie, you have leading actors and you have supporting actors. Sometimes you can have fantastic supporting actors in Hollywood, but they can't...
00:24:13
Speaker
be the the main man and we see that certainly in more than any other position in football a sense of act it's you know you see a lot of sense of act who will look fantastic next to a next to a maybe a more experienced world-class defender but when they have to be the main man
00:24:30
Speaker
you know, can they do it? So that is why we now with a chair be out, we need we need Bastoni to step up and lead that defense like he has, you know, for how he's done so well for into this season. I would also just before we move on to the weaknesses, I would highlight Luciano Spoletti. I think out of everyone, he is our biggest biggest weapon without doubt. And the reason for that is the international football has changed. It's not like it was 20, 30, 40, 50 years ago where
00:25:00
Speaker
the biggest job for a manager was managing your national team or managing a national team and nowadays that's changed club football you know the biggest jobs for a manager now where the money is where the biggest money is is is club football now you don't get many
00:25:16
Speaker
Elite world class managers that are managing national teams and you know we've seen that me look at the biggest nations the two will talk about the famous the two the two favorites this tournament are are england and and france you know garrett southgate is somebody that's probably gonna hinder england's chances.
00:25:34
Speaker
of winning the tournament. Didier Deschamps, I know this might sound crazy, but for me, he's not a top coach either, despite the fact he's got to two World Cup finals, one-one, got to a Euro final. And you look at all the other nations, there's not many nations that you would say have an elite manager. Now we have one, and he can raise us
00:25:54
Speaker
to a level maybe above what we really are. So that's my hope is that Spoletti can do that for us. Yes, he hasn't had the time to work with us. International football is different to club football. You're not training players every single day. So it's not easy, as easy as it would be for a club. But my hope is that Spoletti can elevate us to a level above our
00:26:16
Speaker
are, you know, probably what we really are. So let's look at the weaknesses now then. There's quite a few of them. We try and not be too negative, but what we always, me and them, always try and do on this podcast is we always try and be honest. So we have to talk about the elephant in the room and that is
00:26:38
Speaker
the injuries and the missing players. Now, we have been really unlucky. In fact, this morning I was working on an article actually on all the missing players in Euro 2024.
Key Injuries Impacting Italy's Euro 2024 Chances
00:26:52
Speaker
There's no doubt about it. We are the country that have been affected more than any other nation. It's not even close. And we've lost
00:27:01
Speaker
We forget about it now. We've lost Sandro Tenali to a betting ban. He would have started in midfield. We've lost Francesco Achebe, which I think is a big, big blow because we now lose the inter-block. If we're going to go with that three-man defence, which I don't think is actually still done, I'm still not sure that's absolutely guaranteed in the tournament, but we'll come to the formation after. We lose that inter-block, which is crucial, having that three-man inter-defence plus one of the wingbacks as well. I think that's really huge as we've lost that. Then Beradi
00:27:31
Speaker
he may have started. If we were playing a 4-3-3 or a 4-2-3-1, he possibly would have been one of the wingers. So we've lost him, and then we've lost Scalini, we've lost Odorji, our two big young talents, and Zagnolo as well. He hasn't had a great season, but these are all players that would have gone to the Euros. Half of them would have started, and half of them would have been very useful players in the tournament.
00:28:01
Speaker
How much is this going to affect us, Adrian? Let's start with you. Well, your question, what is our area of weakness? Our weakness was our depth already before these concerns.
00:28:16
Speaker
now it's going to be really put to the test. I love the point you mentioned on Spaletti, I think that's definitely an underrated point because we do have that, but the manager can only work with the tools he has and what was already a squad lacking in depth and experience now with those names you mentioned and Tonali another one that of course people may forget about, but
00:28:39
Speaker
We've gone from, if we recall that midfield that helped us win Euro 2020 to what's there now, we say, Giorginio Barella Pellegrini, okay, but Giorginio hasn't been playing 90 minutes consistently regularly and to play in tournament
00:28:54
Speaker
football's also different but hello okay Pellegrini's come back on but there's not much depth there already to then miss out with Tonali and the others an attacking sense look at our attacking list I believe we should play with a 3-5-2 from an attacking sense because if we can start Skamaka and Kieza we don't really have the attacking firepower on the bench to come on and make a difference
00:29:16
Speaker
if we had Berardi, Zagnolo, okay, not top top top level players at top top form, but it gives me some hope. Berardi off the bench, capable, who knows? Zagnolo can do the unexpected from time to time, so a squad that were already tested by its depth, now severely tested by its depth. Scalvini, for me, one that hurts the most, obviously given the timing,
00:29:40
Speaker
but again a young player who's who's emerging and going to that next level and now misses out on an opportunity because of a meaningless set of fixture 10 days out from from the tournament ridiculous and now across the board there are just so many frustrations because of these absentees that
00:29:58
Speaker
And can I just stop you there, that agent, the ACLs, because this is something that Nimmer has complained about a lot. I mean, when you think that we've lost Giorgio Scalvini, who I've still hadn't, I hadn't been completely sold on him. I'll be honest with you.
00:30:13
Speaker
The last few weeks, he really has grown. We saw him. He was fantastic in that Europa League final when he came on. And whichever way you look at it, if you're looking at 20-year-olds around the world, defenders, there isn't really many you can put above him in terms of experience, in terms of even some of the underlying.
00:30:31
Speaker
You go deep and look at the underlying numbers of his things like interceptions and the tackles that he makes and the read of the game and everything. He's right up there. He was our big hope, really, in defense, along with Califiori. Then you've got Chiesa. You've got Zagnolo. You've got two players who had the potential at the time before their injuries to be maybe generational players might be taking it too far, but world-class players potentially, both of them.
00:30:59
Speaker
and they've never been this. I mean, Sagnolo, I don't want to write him off, but it's looking unlikely he's going to be the player, even close to the player he could have been. And Chiesa, you know, since he's come back two years now, he hasn't been with some of that. Some of that might be allegory, but still, he's not got that acceleration, that burst past his man that he used to have, and we hope he'd get it back. And he would say,
00:31:21
Speaker
You know, that's three players with ACLs. I mean, what is going on here with Italy? Is there, there must be, this is too many, there's too many now for me for it to just be bad luck and be a coincidence. There's something that's not right there, whether it's the training, whether it's the conditioning, whether it's the pitches, maybe the training pitches, not just the stadium pitches. I don't know. There's something, there needs to be some kind of investigation because we are losing so many top players through what's going on.
00:31:51
Speaker
I can tell you from my knowledge.
00:31:54
Speaker
without going into too much depth, but there are a lot of, well, there's a lot of feedback I've heard from players in the game here, particularly foreign players coming in that do suggest that the training methods and techniques and styles and approaches and lack of rest, most importantly, is something which is very different here in Italy compared to other parts of the world. And, you know, coming from Australia and obviously knowing a lot about England and the US, the way that
00:32:21
Speaker
They do things there from a sports science background. In Australia, we have some of the best in the business in that, that work at top clubs in England, work at top clubs around the world in an array of sports. And a lot of what they preach is certainly not done nor respected here in Italy. And that's across multiple levels. And I think there is a bit of a lack of understanding given modern day methods and practices in training.
00:32:50
Speaker
And then when you throw on top of that the current demands and schedules of modern day footballs, how much football they're playing, how regularly they're playing, I don't think it quite works. And I think there's a gap in the level of understanding and obviously the outcome is that we're seeing a lot more injuries of a serious note. So it's definitely an area
Potential Squad Changes with Uninjured Players
00:33:12
Speaker
football related that Italy do need to improve in and very quickly otherwise sadly we will see more of these and they aren't just coincidences Carlo as you touched on.
00:33:20
Speaker
I mean, Nimmer, imagine our team at this tournament now with Kiesa and Zagnolo if they hadn't had those ACO injuries. I know it's a hypothetical, but I mean, we're complaining about our attack. I mean, I think our attack, we don't have a single player in our squad that has double-digit goals. I think Barela is our top scorer, a midfielder with nine goals, if I'm not mistaken. I mean, can you imagine Kiesa and Zagnolo without their ACO injuries?
00:33:47
Speaker
Well, but as Daniela in particular, um, he was the way that he used to, you know, he was similarly to what Jew Bellingham does, doesn't he? When he goes deep, grabs the ball and starts just pushing forward. And he's just like this unstoppable force down the center of the pitch and big guy, strong guy, physical, but also technical, technically gifted driving forward. That's what he used to be able to do.
00:34:15
Speaker
He can't do that anymore. And I mean, this particular team, you know, Spalletti wants to play his 4-2-3-1, 4-3-3 hybrid. Well, he could have done that with Zagnolo if Zagnolo had had that natural progression. Same with Chiesa down the wing. It would have been a completely different scenario completely. I mean, you could have had Pellegrini as kind of an inverted winger and then you had Di Marco kind of going on the left anyways, you know, like he did like Mancini similarly did with Spina Zola three, four years ago.
00:34:44
Speaker
I think it's getting, it's so sad because I think we were robbed of two generational players. I think the talent that both of them possessed, especially in the modern game. I mean, for the Rico Quieso, it was like a heat-seeking missile. You just couldn't stop him when he decided to put his head down and go towards goal. You could not stop him. Now you can. And that's what's so sad about this, that two world-class players, two potentially generational talents, Italy were robbed of.
00:35:14
Speaker
And we are looking at the attack and I've mentioned there the lack of goals that we have in the team and Adrian, you mentioned before about the lack of depth. Are we really praying on Skamaka to bring his form from Atalanta?
00:35:29
Speaker
from March onwards really, middle of March onwards, which was incredible. I think after Cole Palmer and Harry Kane, he was the best scorer in Europe's major five leagues. That tells you how fantastic he was at the end of the season.
00:35:44
Speaker
Are we praying that he brings this form and that Kiesa somehow manages to refine some of that great form that we saw at the last Euros? Are we kind of praying on those two if we're going to make an impact on this tournament, at least in terms of offensively?
00:36:02
Speaker
I think so. But at the same time, Italy are a team that you look at the tournaments we've won, there's never been a player score 10 goals in a tournament. So I think they need to certainly need to be at top form, be dangerous, put the defences under pressure. But we saw last tournament
00:36:18
Speaker
There were goals from midfield. We were goals across the park. 2006 World Cup. Luca Toni was our number nine. He scored two goals in one game for the tournament. So historically, we don't rely on that one player to score a lot of goals. But I think Skamaka, what's always excited me about Skamaka is that he just brings something completely different to the table. And if he's capable of
00:36:39
Speaker
of what many aren't, then all of a sudden we're brought into the match in a different light. I think Skamaka and Kiesa, if they can really figure it out, and if they can play anywhere near their best, we're going to be a hell of a lot better than otherwise. We
Italy's Strategic Game Approach
00:36:53
Speaker
lack the depth in attack. The attack is certainly, again, if we're chasing a game, match day one against Albania, hopefully not, but if we're behind and we're chasing that game and the hour marks come and Skamaka and Kiesa have been
00:37:07
Speaker
underwhelming and we need to bring some plays off the bench, well, it's at that point where you start to scratch your head and think, okay, we don't really have the reinforcements here with respect to Raspadori, Letegi, whoever else comes in, or Solini, whoever comes into the match. So, yes, I think the answer is that more so reliant from consistent performances over goals. I think we have goals across the board in this team, but I think a lot will depend on the form of a particularly Skarmaka in this tournament.
00:37:35
Speaker
I mean, when it comes to just the games themselves going into every game, and I'm looking at Spalletti to kind of do what he did for Napoli when they won the scoretto in the sense that depending on who you play, he starts with his strongest team, kills off the game, then rotates. I do not want to see Italy rotating to rest players and then if need be chased again. He can't do that. He has to be proactive with this team.
00:38:00
Speaker
There's not enough quality here for Italy to rely on chasing the game. It's just not there. And I don't think there's enough experiences there either, given the players that Italy have lost from the Euros three years ago. So
Analyzing Italy's Group Opponents: Albania, Spain, Croatia
00:38:14
Speaker
I think what I want to see from him is, OK, you're playing Albania. What are their weaknesses? OK, Skamaka Retegi.
00:38:21
Speaker
and then once the game is won, then you start making substitutions. What kind of game plan are you expecting against Croatia? What kind of game plan are you expecting against Spain? And then you adapt the lineup accordingly in order to get the best out from the get-go and then rotate towards the end. Because I don't want to see Italy chasing the game against Albania, Croatia, or Spain because they could lose all three.
00:38:45
Speaker
Potentially if that happened. Yeah, my my worry is I know we touched on this already that the lack of depth in this team We've already spoken about how many injuries we've got already that that that's limited our options But you know still got we're recording this before the friendlies and touch wood. We don't get any more injuries the chances are
00:39:05
Speaker
You know, we are not going to go through the whole tournament without some injuries, without some suspensions, without some players that are not fully fit, without players that are going to need rest because you're playing, you know, twice, three times a week. You know, so it's going to take it out of them. And I look at our squad and I just think that, OK, if our strongest available 11 plays, we still got a pretty good team, I think. But then, you know, I look down the team and I think, you know, well,
00:39:30
Speaker
Jorginho, he can't play twice a week. I watch a lot of Arsenal. Arteta knows that and hasn't been playing in every game. He plays one game, then he's out. I'm thinking in the Euros, well,
00:39:46
Speaker
We can't imagine that we're going to have to rely on Georgina to play every single game. He can't. He can't play two games, three games a week at a very high level. He can play one game a week at a very high level, and then you're probably going to have the rest in. So if you're going to have to rest Georgina, who comes in for him? Well, the players that are going to come in for him are not, I think, are good enough. Christante, or what? Are we going to put in Christante to
00:40:10
Speaker
you know, every other game and expect to go far. So this is, this is my problem. And then you, then you look at the other positions like Kieza, can he play every single game 90 minutes? He probably can't. So somebody's going to have to come in for Kieza, at least at points of the game, whether it's the last half an hour of a match, you know, Kieza is going to come out. Who's going to come in? Is that going to weaken the team? So these are, you know, there's all these things. And then you add on that the threat that there's an injury. I mean, could you imagine if we lost
00:40:36
Speaker
you know, berella, then it's game over. Can you imagine? So obviously, look, there's always a bit of luck you need in tournaments with injuries, with suspensions, with the root as well, you know, and we hope that that goes in our favour. But I just we're already, yeah, we're already skating on thin ice as it is. And
00:40:57
Speaker
Yeah, which is exactly why I think a quarterfinal is is kind of where I think is where you can ask of this team and anything above that is is an overperformance and anything under that is somewhat disappointing. But again, my focus is on 2026. I want this to be a learning experience for this group of players and this coach with an eye on 2026. OK, well.
Importance of Winning the Opening Match
00:41:20
Speaker
You said quarter-final. I think we're all looking at the quarter-final. But first of all, we need to get out of the group. So the group should be flashing up now on the screen and Italy's fixtures for the group stage. So a very, very tough group. Probably, I think there's two groups that are there, along with France, Holland, and Austria, who I think are a very, very good team. And I think is it Poland, the other team in that group? That's a group of death. And then we've got the other group of death in the Euros.
00:41:48
Speaker
Group B with Spain, Croatia and Albania. Let's start with Albania because that is our opening game of the tournament on June 15th in Dortmund. There's no other way of putting it. This is a must-win game.
00:42:07
Speaker
without a doubt, without a shadow of a doubt. And it's also a game that probably means the most for Albania. This is a derby for Albania. Albania have one job this tournament and that is to beat Italy at the Euros. They know they don't stand a chance against Spain and they could probably get hammered there. Same thing against Croatia, but Italy is the one that's the opening game. It's a big game because of obviously, you know, the geographically and also, you know, culture, you know, people moving about and all that. So it's a big game for Albania. They're gonna turn up
00:42:37
Speaker
spitting fire and Italy need to be prepared for that. It is a must-win game. There's no need to beat around the bush. Italy have to win this and they have to do it because also look Italy when they ease into tournaments
00:42:54
Speaker
They tend to do better when they have to struggle it becomes this kind of pressure and it becomes almost unbearable and I'm not sure previously Italy squads have had the quality they've had Campioni who can handle that.
00:43:08
Speaker
I'm not sure this group of players can handle that. So I want them to make life easy for themselves by easing into the tournament a comfortable 2-3 no win, no drama, no injuries, no sending offs, no nothing like that. Just ease into it, be in control, get yourself into a good mental headspace in the beginning of this tournament and then build upon that.
Spain Squad Changes and Match Importance
00:43:30
Speaker
Because as things look,
00:43:33
Speaker
essentially three or four points could be enough to get through from the group. If I'm not mistaken, it's like, well, six out of eight third place teams go through anyway, four, six, four, six. Yeah. So essentially would be, it would be a disaster if it, we don't go through. Um, so they have to make life easy for themselves. And the key to that is to beat Albania, but be prepared, be calm, be prepared.
00:43:58
Speaker
and go in and again, like I said, the way that Spalletti won the Scurrito for Napoli, when he rotated really well, was that he started his best team, won the game early on, then substituted and then had players rested and they went the whole stretch and won the Scurrito. I want to see that approach here as well.
00:44:19
Speaker
Yeah, I don't think we could take anything for granted with our team. But Albania do have a lot of steady out base players. So they will know us. They will know us well. And obviously Albania is so, so close to Italy. They understand our culture as well.
00:44:37
Speaker
The second game, Adrian, though, is against Spain on June 20th in Gelsenkirchen. Now, at Euro 2020, Spain were the team that gave Italy their hardest match. What do you make of the Spain team at Euro 2024? Because it has changed a little bit. Different manager, a few different players.
00:44:59
Speaker
Spain, that match of Euro 2020 was very special. They were a fantastic team, the Spanish team. And of course, hopefully we're coming off the back of into this match off the back of a nice solid opening round win. But you're right, Kylo, we cannot take anything for granted because we've seen it happen before where sometimes they've taken it too easy against some of these weaker or lesser countries and it doesn't go so well. But
00:45:24
Speaker
Look,
Challenges Against Croatia's Experienced Squad
00:45:25
Speaker
coming in, I think if coming in off a solid win to start the group stage, going into a match against Spain, which could be decisive for qualification immediately, which could then potentially open the door to, let's say, Giorginio maybe resting against collection, this is crucial, this is absolutely crucial.
00:45:44
Speaker
And with respect to Spain, I think we come in against a Spanish squad that are not, they've got their own issues. They're not the same level of Spanish squad we've seen in the last 10, 15 years. There is quality. There are top players that are in great form. There are some of the best players. Rodri, immediately you'd think of the couple of seasons he's had recently with Manchester City, but I look at the Spanish squad and I think they're a team that
00:46:11
Speaker
as they tend to do, they will maintain a lot of possession. I just look at them in an attacking sense, and it's not an attack that really... Look, I'm not scared of this attack, especially with the stability defensively that we have. Obviously Morata, I think Morata is the captain these days for Spain as well, which is, look, a player, obviously, we know very well following here in Cรฉdial, his 15 moves back and forth to Juventus, but
00:46:35
Speaker
It's a team from an attacking sense that perhaps lacks some of the firepower, but there is quality. Danny Olmore won in there as well. Obviously, Yamal was 16. So they've got these players, but I don't think it's a team that we should fear. I think this is a team, again, with an eye on to 2026 that we should be
00:46:57
Speaker
confident going in that even though we are short we do lack depth that with Spalletti with this star this is a great test for us and I think we should go in with confidence I don't think we should go in and
00:47:07
Speaker
ease ourselves into the game, going comfortably, playing our own football. And with that, looking at the Spanish squad, the Croatia squad, I think the Croatia squad could also lack goals as well. They're a very experienced squad. But I think we come into this group and I think we give ourselves a good chance on merit to beat all of these teams. But we could also, it could go wrong. I think Spalletti needs to stay true to himself. I agree. We need to win the matches, then rest.
00:47:33
Speaker
And look, I think Albania matched a one in Dortmund, a place that brings back great memories for every Italian football fan. We must win that. There's no doubt about it because if we go into that Spain game chasing from minute one, I think we could endure some serious problems.
00:47:50
Speaker
If we go into match day two with three points in the back knowing the qualification is up for grabs, I think we will see the best version of Spalletti and the way that he plays football with his team. So I think a lot will be dependent on what happens in Dortmund on June 15.
00:48:06
Speaker
Agreed, agreed. Yeah, I think that's about right. I mean, I think Spain are similar to us. They're a little bit in between generations. I think that they are looking at the World Cup as well. They do have some incredible youngsters. I mean, Lamini Amal at 16. He's going to break the record for the youngest player at the Eurozone. He's an astonishing player.
00:48:26
Speaker
Cubasi at the back. I'm assuming he's in the squad. He's fantastic at Barcelona as well. Williams is a real live wire. They do have some really exciting plays. Of course, Petri, of course, who's had so many injuries since the last year as Rotary. They do have quality, but I think they're a little bit in between generations. And as for Modric, as for Modric is Croatia, you know, they still have that special midfield, but they are an agent team and I totally agree on their attack. They don't have anything can attack.
00:48:54
Speaker
I hope that doesn't jinx it now, but they don't have a punch in a tap. They can pass you to death in midfield.
00:49:03
Speaker
They're a little bit impotent in the final third. It's a group of in-between generations. Croatia a little bit in-between. They're a golden generation that brought them to two World Cup medals and Italy having the same thing there and also Spain.
Italy's Starting Lineup Speculation
00:49:19
Speaker
But with Croatia, I do want to raise a little bit of a warning here because this is the last chance of the Perisic, Modriฤ, Brozovic regeneration.
00:49:29
Speaker
this is their last chance to do something. And I think in Croatia, the character they have, the mentality they have, they always, they overperform almost when they're in a tournament. They unite in a way that is very, very unique at international level. So I do want to, I absolutely don't want Italy to turn up to that Croatia game having to chase that game at all in any shape. They're also a boat utility. There isn't a team in international
00:49:58
Speaker
football and worse record against than Croatia. If I'm not mistaken, I thought we'd only beaten them once in our history, but I saw the other day that we have never
00:50:08
Speaker
beaten them. Either we've never beaten them or we've only beaten them once. It might be we've never beaten them in a competitive game, but what I do know is that there isn't a country that we have a worse record against. They are our bogey side. We don't do well against polka teams, actually. Even historically, like the former Yugoslavia, Serbia, these nations, they just seem to, again, I think it's a cultural thing,
00:50:33
Speaker
They seem to understand us tactically. They're the best at breaking up the game and all that kind of stuff. They know how to get to us. So it won't be an easy game against Croatia at all. Croatia seemed to have pretty much all their bogey team for all the big nations. I mean, Brazil last time we saw in game that Brazil completely dominated, but ended up going home.
00:50:56
Speaker
Germany have struggled against them historically as well. So you need to watch out for Croatia. They can really cause problems. They are giant killers. They do punch above their weight for sure, given the size of their population. Right. Let's go to the big question now then. So let's name
00:51:12
Speaker
our starting 11 for the Euros. You should see a line-up graphic that comes up. This is the team that at the time of recording is predicted to be Luciano Spoletti's default starting 11 as of now. Obviously the two friendlies could change that and other things, training and everything, but we're looking at the moment at a
00:51:33
Speaker
really what would probably be a 3-4-2-1, I know the graphic shows a 3-4-3, but it's a 3-4-2-1 really, and it's Donnarumma in goal, it's Bastoni, Buongiorno taking a chair of his place probably, and then Darmian as the right centre-back, the wing-backs Di Marco and probably Di Lorenzo, and then the centre-meets Giorgino and Barella,
00:51:57
Speaker
and then Pellegrini and Chiesa behind Scamaka. So that is probably what Spelletti... That's what is predicted to be Spelletti's default 11, but I'm not sure yet. I still wouldn't surprise me if he goes back to a four, but we'll see. Let's put ourselves in Spelletti's shoes, though, and choose what would be our start in 11. So if we start with the goalkeeper, this should be an easy one. We're all done at Romain goal.
00:52:27
Speaker
Donnarumma. Donnarumma, okay, so no further discussion needed there. Let's
Debate on Italy's Defensive Setup
00:52:33
Speaker
go to the defence. Now, two questions here. First of all, does Spiletti go with a three-man defence or a four-man defence? Let's start with that. Nimma, you go first and then Adrian, you can come straight in after Nimma. No, I think he has to go with a back three. I think given... I do see your point about
00:52:52
Speaker
him maybe doing a back four and i think that he will be very fluid in that throughout the tournament with the formation in games not just with the starting formation ahead of games but also in games depending on what needs doing and the fact that he's got his his captain at Napoli di Lorenzo there and and he's got you know he's got his midfield three and and as i said for me this the most important thing in a possibility system is the midfield the central midfield the the fluctuation between
00:53:20
Speaker
in this 4-3-3, 4-2-3-1, he can do the same thing here with Pellegrini being his Zielinski, so to speak, where they are a midfield three or a double pivot with him moving forward. I think that's what's going to be key here. I think the rest is kind of, I think it depends on the game, but if we're just focusing on the Albania game,
00:53:39
Speaker
given who Albania are and how they look, I would play a 3-4-2-1-3-5-2. And for me, it's Bastoni. To the left, I would have Bonjorno or Calafiori in the middle, and I'd have Mancini to the right.
00:53:57
Speaker
because Manchini is a mean SOB and you need to have a mean SOB in defense and also he's become much more polished in recent years. Especially this season, I think whatever happened with the last 18 months, Mourinho and de Rossi have, I don't know,
00:54:13
Speaker
they've figured out the right medication for him to calm down because he's got the right balance of this kind of the meanness that you need but he doesn't cross the line into head loss and that's important.
00:54:30
Speaker
I'm with Unimo with everything. I hadn't thought so much about the medication of Manchini, but I also see your point there. No, I'm in agreement. I think a three-man defense, definitely. You know, with the Darmian debate, if Achebi was there that was Darmian, Achebi and Bastoni, I would have picked Darmian, but I would also lean towards Manchini here as well for
00:54:51
Speaker
the physical attributes and what he brings and I think he has matured a little in recent times. So look, I think we should definitely play with a three and I do like Bonjourno, I do like Calipheoria, I think Calipheoria could be one that another could potentially burst onto the scene at this tournament.
00:55:08
Speaker
So I'm very, very content and with what you say as well, with Bastani, I think it's his tournament to really lead from the front in defence.
Preferred Wingback Options for Italy
00:55:17
Speaker
I think he has a big opportunity here. So I'll stick with the three and whether we play three, five, two, three, four, two, one, I think I think we will definitely start in that factor. But open for your debate there, Karl, if you think that we potentially play.
00:55:34
Speaker
I'm really torn. I'm really torn on this. I think if the whole inter-block was there, I would have, and also looking at the preliminary 30-man squad that Splitti picked, I think he did have that in mind for sure to go with the back three. That's shown also by the sheer number of centre-backs that he called up. Then with the acherbi injury,
00:55:54
Speaker
he didn't initially call Gatti up, he put him on standby. He only called Gatti up after the second injury with Scalveni. So again, we'll see who he then cuts from the primary squad to the 26th man squad. I don't think another defender will be cut and so he's going to go with one less than initially maybe he did.
00:56:18
Speaker
he planned on having. So that makes me think that maybe, you know, maybe it might be a mix. Maybe one game he will go with a three, maybe he will go with a four. Maybe it's going to be a hybrid, like Deimos said, in which case it's kind of both. You know, maybe Di Lorenzo will be a right centre back and then he'll be able to then move over to be the right back. You know, most teams in defensive phases
00:56:42
Speaker
will probably defend with with a bat four will often will maybe a 4-4-2 maybe he'll put Kiesa and Skamaka as the as the front two or maybe Kiesa will go left midfield I don't know something like that it'll be interesting we'll see we'll see the friendlies will I think will tell us more on that
00:56:58
Speaker
Um, I think that what is clear, though, that is if we do go with about three, we now do have for me less. Well, certainly there's no doubt about it. We have less, uh, options in terms of depth in terms of top center backs. You know, we're now looking at, you know, one injury and maybe a mancini or a
00:57:14
Speaker
or a Gattie has to come in and then all of a sudden you're like, well, do we want to play a bat three with Gattie in the team? Or do we just want to go to a bat four and still have two strong sense of that? You know, these are the questions that are going around my head. So let's, for now, let's go with a three-man, let's go with a three-man defense to start with.
00:57:36
Speaker
Midfield, though. The midfield, I think, is probably easier to choose our first choice. Well, actually, let's do the wingbacks first, the wingbacks.
Determining Italy's Midfield Lineup
00:57:47
Speaker
Who do we pick as a wingback? I mean, I would go with DiMarco, I think, picks himself, now that Udoji is injured. And then on the right, if it's a 3-4-2-1, do you go Di Lorenzo? Or do you go for one of the younger options that you mentioned, Adrian, before, Cambiasso, or even a Belanova?
00:58:05
Speaker
Well, my answer is pretty simple. I would be more than happy to see DiMarco and Cambiazzo, but I think he will start DiMarco Diorenzo. I just feel he could potentially start in that way. If we were to play 3-5-2 with the wing backs, I think, look,
00:58:23
Speaker
Spaletti, look, the relationship we don't know, but the trust that he would have in that player, Di Lorenzo has been nowhere near his best this season. I would like to see Cambiaso. I think we've seen a lot of growth in that player. So I guess my answer would be Di Marco Cambiaso with the three midfielders sort of sell themselves. But I think we will learn a bit. Turkey
00:58:46
Speaker
are two friendlies. Hopefully we can tinker around with this and then figure it out. But I think it will be a pretty, I think it will be DeMarco and I wouldn't be surprised to see Lorenzo in there. I think you're right. And I hope that we're both wrong because I don't want to see Lorenzo as a right wing back. I just don't think that's his role.
00:59:07
Speaker
What I like about Di Lorenzo, whether it was a Napoli, whether it was for Italy in a back four, is his intelligence. It's the fact that he knows when to invert and allow someone else to push forward down the other wing, his read of the game when he's in form and so on and so forth. As to him marauding up and down a wing and doing those runs, I just don't see where he is in his career. That's particularly what he's very good at.
00:59:30
Speaker
So what I want to see is, and also given that you have DiMarco on the other side and DiMarco has a left foot that is world class, but DiMarco can't dribble past a cone, let alone a player. He just can't. I mean, we've seen it from year after year after year. He just cannot do that. And he has the stamina of, well, me.
00:59:49
Speaker
at 44. He'll go off in the 60 minutes. So you need to have some sort of guarantees on the other side. And there I want someone who can dribble past this man. I want someone who's fast, who has pace and it's either, and also has tactical intelligence. So rather Cambiaso or Belanova down that right in order to make up for the other side. Cause otherwise, if you don't have any threat down the wings, you become very, very easy to read.
01:00:14
Speaker
And it's easier for teams to congest the middle than it is to control the wings. And I think you need to have that kind of situation where DiMarco's left foot and his set pieces and crosses, but also the attacking depth down the other flank, that you have someone who can overlap, who can beat his man, who is quick. So for me, Cambia Sur Belanoba, but not D'Laurent, so not at this point, no.
01:00:43
Speaker
But I think you're right. I think he's going to start with Dylan, so I think you're absolutely right.
01:00:47
Speaker
You said it well, hopefully we're wrong, but yeah, we're fine. Yeah, I would go with that as well. I do think that we need to have some experience there, don't we? We need to have some bridge from the last Euros. So, you know, that's why I think Di Lorenzo probably has to be in there. Let's move on to the midfield, though, because I think this should be quite easy, really, regardless of whether we play with a back four or a back three.
Attacking Strategy: Maximizing Kiesa's Role
01:01:16
Speaker
The midfield isn't as strong as it was in the Euro 2020, but we do still have some quality. I mean, my midfield would be Giorgino, Baralla and Pellegrini. I think it picks itself pretty much. But if we need more legs, then maybe Pellegrini has dropped for a Fratazzi or maybe as a wild card, again, the friendlies will determine a lot on this, Fagioli maybe, who does have the legs, who can get up and down.
01:01:46
Speaker
I assume both of you guys would go with that three as well.
01:01:54
Speaker
I'm fully on board. Yeah, fully on board. And obviously if it's a three, four, two, one, and maybe Pellegrini plays a little more advanced, but I think you spot on there. More legs required. Maybe he's the one sacrificed from the opening minute, but Barrella Giorgini will be pivotal to this Pellegrini if we are to play those three across. I think that's a certainty for Spalletti to start the tournament. The only thing I want to add to that is that I want to see Spalletti
01:02:22
Speaker
Unleash Nicola Barela. Now that Nicola Barela has
01:02:27
Speaker
footballers with an IQ to the right of him, which he doesn't have at Inter with Denzel Dumfries, where he has to think for two people. Here he doesn't need to do that because whether it's Di Lorenzo, Cambias or Bela Nova, the three of them individually on their own have a higher football IQ than Denzel Dumfries does and also technically as well. So this means that Barilla can be unshackled. We can finally see a Barilla that doesn't have to play for three and defend for two and think for three.
01:02:55
Speaker
he actually can just be Barilla and I think given that he is a world-class midfielder in Italy or not, spoiled with world-class players, to lift the shackles of Barilla's feet, that is the main thing I want to see in midfield for Italy. Okay, so let's come to the attack now and assuming we go with a 3-4-2-1,
01:03:17
Speaker
I think, again, I think it picks itself. It has to be Chiesa and, let's say, Pellegrini, although Pellegrini can form a three, can be a bit deeper. Chiesa and Pellegrini behind Skamaka. I want, and I saw this suggested by a few people, I want Spoletti, if he is going to go with a three, four, two, one, to try and replicate kind of what Atalanta did with Lukman, Chiesa to be the Lukman behind Skamaka.
01:03:46
Speaker
We all saw what Lookman did in that Europa League final, it's just magical performance from him. You know, Kiesa to be the Lookman, Pellegrini to be the Decaturland maybe, I don't know, and Scamaka to be Scamaka that we've seen. I mean, if that were able to manage to do that, that would be great, but my concern here is Kiesa has never convinced me in a
01:04:10
Speaker
in a central role or certainly in the front two. If it was a 3-5-2, strictly a 3-5-2 like Allegri's played at Juventus, I just don't like him. We know he hates them. We know he doesn't like playing. He wants to play on the wing. He doesn't look like he's going to play in a wide role. So let's try and put him in a lookman role where he does still have that license and that freedom to go wide.
01:04:37
Speaker
you know, that if he's rigid in a central role, and Spiletti has talked about this, I just don't see him succeeding. So how, first of all, what would you play, let's start with you Adrian, first of all, what would you play as your attack? And then secondly, how would you use Kiesa to try and get the best out of him? It's a very interesting one, because he does start for me, I think there's no doubt about that. But if we
01:05:02
Speaker
If we were to have him coming off the bench, it's a lot better than what we currently have coming off the bench. If we were to start with this Kamaka Rategi in those roles, which perhaps they're a bit more familiar with, and then bringing in Kiesa into a match to play with that freedom, particularly if we need to score to get back into a match, it could be something that could work. But you are right, Kiesa,
01:05:23
Speaker
Here's a need for play in those positions at Souter. He's proven that he's, well, he's played every position that exists under a leg of the Juventus. But look, I think unlocking his potential potentially in that Lukman type role, like you say, could be something that works. And with that in mind, perhaps that 3-4-2-1 could work as opposed to he and Skamaka being a two up top, potentially at times isolated.
01:05:46
Speaker
I think the Kiesa issue will be one that Spalletti will deal with because you're right, he can't play three matches in 19 minutes in 10 days. I don't think that can be the case. So how does Spalletti use the potential that Kiesa has?
01:06:06
Speaker
I
Adapting Italy's Attack Strategy per Opponent
01:06:06
Speaker
think it's an interesting one. I think his position is not, I don't think he's a lock to start all three group stage matches, that's for sure. I think he does bring something that could be of benefit to us in the second half of a match, but he's still going to be crucial. For me, Kiezer, are we going to see the same Kiezer as three years ago
01:06:25
Speaker
Time will tell anything is possible, but probably not is my hunch. But I think he's still a player that needs to be utilised in the right manner. I think that we play 3-5-2 with Kiez and Skamaka up top to start against Albania match day one.
01:06:39
Speaker
I agree with that. The only difference is that I think against Albania, who we know are going to probably play very deep and congest centrally, especially in the box, I want to play Skamaka Rettaghi. I want to see Skierza in the Lukman role against Spain, where I know that Spain is going to have most of the possession and Italy are going to be a little bit on the back foot and push on the counter. So that's what I want to see him. Again, for me, this is about match coaching.
01:07:04
Speaker
depending on who they play. Who is Italy facing? How do they line up? Adapt to that. Keep your identity, but adapt to your opponent and try to get the best out of the squad available to you.
Euro 2024 Favorites: England, France, Germany
01:07:16
Speaker
That's how I view this. And so I think when you're playing Albania, you're going to have most of the possession. You're going to be pushing forward. They're going to shrink the space. They're going to congest the center of the pitch. You have two giant giants up front in Skamaka Retegi with the difference that they're not just good target men.
01:07:34
Speaker
Rettigy is a killer in the box, and Skamaka can create something out of nothing. So with DiMarco's left foot, and whether it's Di Lorenzo, whoever is on the right, and Barela's runs and crosses, and Bastoni's diagonal runs and crosses, for me, I want to have those two big guys up front in that opening game. Then you come with that result in the bag.
01:07:57
Speaker
You go to Spain. Well, you know that you're never going to have more possession than Spain whenever you play Spain. Fine. That means you have more space to attack. That's what I want to see Kiazaa like a lukeman in the Europa League final.
01:08:11
Speaker
and certainly isn't a better deliverer of the ball for the Twin Towers than DiMarco, I think, than anyone in the Euros. Okay, let's talk about the favourites away from Italy. Let's talk about the favourites to win Euro 2024. England and France are the two favourites with the bookmakers, well, England are, and then France just behind them. Then it's Germany, Portugal,
01:08:33
Speaker
then Spain and then Italy don't come in until joint sixth with Holland. So they are quite adrift, Italy, but England are favourites. Nimmer, is this England's best chance to finally win their first trophy since 1966?
01:08:53
Speaker
I really do think so. I think if you look at the makeup of that squad, you look at the experience that it has, you look at the players that they have, especially in the attacking phase, not so much defensively. I think that central defense gave me a bit of a like creeps when I saw it. It's not a very solid defense. But if I look at the midfield and upwards, they've got an abundance of world class talent. I think the point about Southgate is important because I think it's valid.
01:09:23
Speaker
And.
01:09:24
Speaker
I don't think they're favorites. I think, well, if you ask the English, they're always favorites. But if we look at it outside of England, I think France are massive favorites. France are the only team in the world right now that can pretty much feel three starting 11s that you don't really see that much difference in quality. And that's insane. You talk about depth. I mean, Deschamps has ridiculous depth. So for me, France are absolutely massive, clear favorites. Then I have England. But I got to say, the closer we get to this tournament,
01:09:55
Speaker
I'm leaning more and more and more to Germany winning the whole damn thing. Germany hasn't won since 96. If Italy have had scandals and problems with their national team, it pales in comparison to what has gone on in Germany since they won the World Cup. It's been constant arguing. Now they seem to have found something there. And
Strategic Advantage of Topping the Group
01:10:15
Speaker
I think Germany at home, traditionally, historically, in front of their own fans,
01:10:21
Speaker
Watch out for Germany. That's what I'm going to say. But of course, the two main favorites are France and England. And without a doubt, to answer your question, this is England's best chance to win a tournament. And since 1966, without a shadow of a doubt. Couldn't agree any more, Nima. Adrian? Yeah, couldn't agree any more. I think, look, when you talk about England, a player like Harry Kane,
01:10:45
Speaker
not getting any younger, still in his prime, the best in his role potentially in world football, plenty of world-class talents around him. They're not going to get a better chance than this.
01:10:59
Speaker
There aren't too many other teams. We spoke about our group alone, Italy, Spain and Croatia, all going through transitional periods. There's also that factor as well that a lot of the regular contenders are not anywhere near their best. Germany, while I'm in agreement that they do have something special about them, they have been dealing with so many problems, the pressures of playing at home. There is a lot that supports England winning this competition for the first time in their history.
01:11:28
Speaker
but France for me. France for me are the clear favorite. You're right, three 11s if not four 11s, there is so much quality. But they're the best player in the world to me at the moment. There is so much to love about France and also the fact that they actually lost the World Cup Final, I think they would be hungrier to respond than win an international tournament. So I have France won England close to
01:11:53
Speaker
Portugal I think are up there as well always need to be respected there so we know that the quality they have across the board but Germany is the one for me which I think are building and they have some players which are going to go
01:12:05
Speaker
They're going to soar in years to come. Florian Wurz is one obviously now known around the world what he's done this season, but he's a player who, since doing his ACL a few years ago in the COVID seasons, he had already burst onto the scene in the Bundesliga at 17, broke every record there. There's no surprise from anyone in Germany. I've spoken to a lot of journalists there.
01:12:26
Speaker
that he has become what he was supposed to become and now will go that next level and they have a lot of these players coming through that will make them a force as they were as they have always been very soon and this tournament's come at a good time. Nagelsmann has steadied the ship, he has been dealing with a lot
01:12:43
Speaker
They are just hitting form at the right time and I'm with Inima, I think they're really primed to do something special and I think they'll make a very deep run in this tournament. And without looking too far ahead, I do think that if we finish second in our group and they win their group, I think there's a potential
01:13:02
Speaker
water final or round of 16 meeting maybe round of 16 actually between the winner of group A and the runner-up of group B so it could be a potential Germany V Italy Spain or Croatia in the round of 16 and I think the Germans will be I think they'll fancy themselves I think they've really got a point to prove this tournament
01:13:22
Speaker
Just on that point about the path to the final, I mean, we shouldn't really focus on it now. We should just make sure we get through the group. But if we have got our eyes on trying to go all the way, winning the group could be very, very important for Italy because it would probably mean an easier path to the final.
Portugal's Potential and Coaching Concerns
01:13:42
Speaker
If Italy were to come top of the group, of Group B, it would mean that we go into the top half of the knockout trial. That would mean that assuming England and France win their groups, that we couldn't play England or France until the final. Now, that, of course, is absolutely huge, because if you ask me if there's two teams who are quite clearly stronger than us on paper,
01:14:08
Speaker
And in terms of quality of players, it's definitely France and England. So if you can avoid playing them until the final, that's absolutely huge. That certainly gives us a better chance of going far. So yes, we shouldn't try and be thinking ahead and being presumptuous. But if there's a chance for us to win the group, then we should go for it. At the same time,
01:14:29
Speaker
it never works out like that, you know, France could come second, England could come second, you know, so, but that is, you know, looking ahead, that is the path to the final.
01:14:42
Speaker
The only reason I didn't mention Portugal is because they have a coach who I don't understand how he got that job. I mean you talk about failing upwards in life after he destroyed Belgium's golden generation he now goes and tries to do something similar in Portugal. They need to get rid of him as soon as possible and I hope that the only positive
01:15:02
Speaker
thing that could come from Portugal not having a good tournament is that they get rid of him and that they appoint an actual coach. So that's the only reason I don't count Portugal because I think you're absolutely right Adrian, the talent is unbelievable.
01:15:16
Speaker
Failing
Euro 2024 Predictions: Top Scorers and Winners
01:15:17
Speaker
upwards, Nimr, is something we're familiar with in the city, I think. Let's do predictions then very quickly, because as always, we're going way over. We'll do this without any explanation. Let's just go through this pretty much one word. So Euro 2024 winners, I'm going to go for France, Nimr, then Adrian, one word. Germany.
01:15:46
Speaker
France. Germany and France. Top scorer. Now, this might come as a bit of a surprise, but I'm going to go for Cristiano Ronaldo. The only reason being that they have a really easy group and I think he's going to fill his boots in the group in the group stages with probably with half, probably with most of them being penalties, then he might not score again and still finish top scorer. So I'm going to go with go for Ronaldo. No, I mean, OK, you go first and then Adrian, you come in.
01:16:15
Speaker
Uh, Jude Bellingham, six goals. Okay. I was going to say Kane. I think, I think, uh, I think pending his fit pending his fully fit, but I think England can score a lot of goals as well. Like Ronaldo and Portugal in the group stage. I think Kane and I think England will go deep.
01:16:31
Speaker
England always get a bye to the semi-finals. You probably fill his boots as well. Player of the tournament, at Euro 2020 it was Gigi Donnarummo, it was one of our guys. I'm going to go, seeing as I've gone for France to win the tournament, it's always going to come from the winners, so I'm going to go killing Mbappe.
01:16:52
Speaker
this time around Nimr. Tony Kross, the farewell tour, having fresh off of winning the Champions League, being fantastic, a fantastic season for Real Madrid and since I have got Germany winning it, I think it's going to be, it's between him and Jude Bellingham. I think those those two are going to really shine this tournament. That would be very special but I'm going with Kilian as well. I think, I think Mbappe will do
01:17:19
Speaker
We'll just continue that run. I think he will win the Euro's play of the tournament and then go on and win the Ballon d'Or as well. It makes sense.
Breakout Stars of Euro 2024
01:17:27
Speaker
Breakout star. The breakout star in Euro 2020 was, I think it was Petri, actually, but Federico Chiesa, of course, from Italy was really exploded as well. This tournament, I'm going to go Arda Gรผle of Real Madrid and Turkey. He's someone that could really emerge in Germany, even though I don't
01:17:49
Speaker
really high hopes for Turkey but I think he will shine anyway. Who do you guys have? I think Florian Wirz of Germany is a shout out. I think he's a very talented player and he's had an unbelievable season.
01:18:04
Speaker
I'm with you, Nima. Florian Wertz will be the breakout side. I think Germany can have a good run as well. I don't. Again, let's see that if they do win their group, they will play the second place team in our group, which will be a very nice match. But I think that's definitely a strong candidate home country. I think certainly one that could win that award. The prize team.
Surprise Teams: Austria and Albania
01:18:25
Speaker
I'm going to go for Austria. I've been really, really impressed by Austria. I think the way that they play as a team, just how fit they are, how much they run,
01:18:35
Speaker
just how well drilled they are by Ralph Ragnick.
01:18:39
Speaker
They've lost David Alaba, but watching them play, sort of saw them destroy Turkey in a friendly a couple of months ago. They're in a really tough group, that group of them, but I think that they could surprise Holland or even a France in that grouping. I think they will take points in that group. So I'm going to go for Austria, Nimr. This is tough.
01:19:06
Speaker
I mean, define surprise and define, you know, it's a little bit difficult. Not one of the favorites, not one of the big teams. I can't, you can't say that Croatia are a surprise given who they are, but I do think they can surprise teams. But I also think that, I mean, just if you take into account
01:19:26
Speaker
what you're going into, what you expect from them and their history in that. I think Albania is going to be really, really a nasty surprise. And if they get through the group, that automatically makes them the surprise team. Well, that means we're out if they get free to go.
01:19:45
Speaker
Well, you never know. I honestly think that group is so difficult. I couldn't tell you. I think Spain goes through, but then other than that, I think it's up for grabs between us. It's fairly balanced. Don't sleep on Albania. That's all I'm going to say. I like that. I like both of those. That's something different. Look, surprise is right. The definition is a difficult one because there could be a lot of surprises and shocks.
01:20:09
Speaker
I was doing some research out there and just looking in the country that kept springing its mind because it's a beautiful story is Georgia, obviously Kavatskalia and Georgia. They're really an interesting group, Portugal, Turkey, Czech Republic. Could they get through? Could they get through? That could be a wonderful surprise, a wonderful story. Obviously the Euro has expanded and the qualification has now seen Georgia create some history in their own right. Perhaps they could be one to spring a couple of surprises in the group station. That's a good shot. That's a very good shot. Yeah, so do a good grade.
01:20:39
Speaker
Kavada could finally earn himself a pay hike from his current McDonald's wages that he gets at Napoli. De Laurentiis might finally pay him what he deserves.
Greatest Italian National Team Lineup
01:20:52
Speaker
Yeah, okay, that's our predictions. Let's now, and it's a bit nostalgia now, I want us to pick all of our greatest Italy national team 11 of all time.
01:21:06
Speaker
So this is a really, really tough one. Bear in mind that we're going to base this on or base your teams on how they performed for the Italy national team. So don't pick players that were fantastic for their club sides just on how they performed for Italy at tournaments or in their Italy careers. So I'm going to tell you mine and then you guys can tell me what your teams were. So my 11 should come up on the screen now
01:21:36
Speaker
I'm going for a 5-3-2 because Italy produced probably 70% or 80% of the top 10 defenders of all time. So I had to pick as many defenders as I could. So in goal, I'm going for Gi Gi Buffon, then right back I'm going for Bergami, Giuseppe Bergami,
01:22:00
Speaker
a legend from the 1982 18 year old, the 1982 World Cup, and they're still playing in the 1998 World Cup centre back. I'm going for Franco Berezi, who I consider to be the best centre back of all time. I'm going for Gaetano Schirre, who was the great Libro of the 1982 World Cup winning team.
01:22:19
Speaker
I'm going for Fabio Cannavaro, who I was at every single Italy game, watching, apart from the final, in Germany in 2006. And I can tell you, I don't think there's ever been, I'm not saying he's the best Italy defender all the time, he's not, but I don't think there's ever been a better performance in a major tournament by a defender.
01:22:42
Speaker
maybe by any defender, but certainly by an Italian defender than Canavaro was in that 2006 World Cup. Every single game was just a clinic from Canavaro. So then my centre-backs. Then at left-back, of course, Paolo Maldini, who's maybe the best defender of all time, if we've taken into account everything. Then in midfield, I'm going for Fandrea Pirlo. Of course, nothing more needs to be said about him. Marco Tardelli, we're playing the more runner
01:23:11
Speaker
kind of ball tackler, all action, box to box player from the 1982 World Cup, of course, the iconic celebration in that World Cup. And then I'm going, not strictly a semi-fielder, but a kid to play there, Sandro Mazzola from the team that won the Euros, our first Euros in 1968 and also a great inter-team of the 60s and 70s. And then up front, really, really difficult this, but I mean, he was my childhood hero, so the Beto Badjo has to be Badjo.
01:23:39
Speaker
grew up watching him in Italian 90, World Cup 94 in USA and the 1998 World Cup. Never did it, never played at a Euros actually, weirdly, never played at a European Championship. And the striker next to him are probably going to go Paolo Rossi. Top scorer of course at the 1982 World Cup, scored a hatful at the 1978 World Cup as well, fantastic.
01:24:05
Speaker
Fantastic guy as well and really sorely missed. So that's my team 5-3-2. Nima, let's go with yours first. You'll have to just read your one out.
01:24:20
Speaker
I'm going to go with a 3-5-2, because I want to have three central defenders for the reasons you explained. So basically, to me, goalkeeper is just, who do you go out of Zof, Buffon and Zenga? I mean, it's just, it's so difficult, but I can't go past Dino Zof for longevity and what he was.
01:24:47
Speaker
It's we're talking like photo finish here. So Dino Dzofengol, left center back Maldini, Shireya in the middle, and Gentile. Sorry, yeah, Baresi to the right. And then left wing back Faketi. And then to the right, Bergomi. And then the three central midfielders, you have to have Pirlo,
01:25:16
Speaker
God, this is getting really difficult. Three, five, two. Up front, I'm going to have Bajo and I'm going to have Paolo Rossi, but I also want to shoehorn in Gianni Rivera somehow, because we're talking Italy Ballon d'Or winner. So my team is not very balanced. You need one more midfielder. Yeah, yeah.
01:25:47
Speaker
But who would I go? Listen, I need to have some kind of defensive balance as well, don't I? Gattuso? Gattuso, I think I have to have just to have some... De Rossi? De Rossi, yeah, I'll probably go with De Rossi.
01:26:02
Speaker
But I'm shoehorning in because Gianni Rivera has to be there. Italy don't exactly have an abundance of Ballon d'Or winners. Gianni Rivera's performance for Milan against Ajax in the 1969 European Cup Final,
01:26:19
Speaker
tell everybody that loves Italian football to watch that game. I think you can watch it on YouTube in full. One of the greatest individual performances I've ever seen. It was absolute clinic from Rivera. So watch that game. He was a great... And he was actually with the Italy national team, wasn't he? A few days ago he was brought along by Spoletti to kind of inspire the team along with a group of other legends.
01:26:42
Speaker
It's a bit annoying too because Gigi Riva, it's like miazza Riva. I don't know. I felt terrible leaving Riva out. Yeah.
01:26:51
Speaker
You had a shot that was so hard, it once broke the arm of a fan in the crowd. That was how hard his left foot was. And also, of course, even if you go further back, Giuseppe Miatza, I mean, it's just, yeah, this is hard. This is really hard. Very, very hard. Adrian, go on. Yeah, it's very hard. Very, very difficult. But look, let's roll off some names and see where they fit. But I'll go with Buffon in goal. If we're talking centre backs,
01:27:19
Speaker
I'm a little bit younger. I need to keep it a little bit more modern. I've got to throw Keelini in there. I've loved what he's been able to do. And I love the fact how important he was in the latter stage of his career and winning the Euros. So with Baresi and Canavaro, you're right, Kolo, in Canavaro and that performance at that World Cup. No, he's right up there, but not the very, very, very best. But what he was able to do, that performance and that tournament. Remarkable. Zambrata for me, Maldini.
01:27:45
Speaker
wide I look here with every assignment you guys said back to me as well it's it's very very difficult this is mission impossible but I guess that's a five with a couple of wing backs he long got tools or like in in in midfield and Bajo Rossi I think they must be in there and then I need to include either another attack another really another midfielder but
01:28:10
Speaker
I had lunch with him earlier today, and we have lunch most days in the week, Bob Oveone, he has to go in there for me. Star quality goals, just didn't get that trophy that would have been well deserved. But I think, look, I think there were 11 of 100 that could challenge for a spot, and that we have been blessed with so many wonderful talents over time. But I'll do my best and go with that for now.
01:28:34
Speaker
Yeah, 2002 Vieri, if we hadn't been cheated out of the World Cup by the drug smuggling referee from Ecuador, how many goals would Vieri have scored in that sort of thing? Yeah, records could have been broken. Yeah, you said before that we never have high scorers and
01:28:53
Speaker
in tournaments. I mean, I think that would have been the year that we had a very high score. OK, penultimate, before we before we finish off, just two minutes, one minute on this very quickly.
Aesthetics and History of Italy's Football Kits
01:29:06
Speaker
Let's talk about the kits. We're all wearing Italy kits or NIMAs wearing a 1968 kind of special edition, Italy jersey. I'm actually wearing the Euro 2024 kit. So I guess you should everybody should look at I think
01:29:20
Speaker
Adrian, you're wearing the 2023 kit, aren't you? This one's the 2023 kit. Well, obviously, no country has more style and elegance than Italy or the Italians. I mean, Italy is known for being at the forefront of fashion and having some fantastic kits at tournaments. What do we think of the Euro 2024 shirt? Do we like it, Adrian?
01:29:46
Speaker
Are you a fan? Look, I always love the Italy kit. I'm a little indifferent this time around, just compared to the high level that we've always said. We think back to classic kits. We mentioned 2002 before. It's some of the most iconic Italy kits. So we've had some, I think we've had some super iconic kits. Is this one of those? Probably not for me.
01:30:09
Speaker
But if we can win something in it, then maybe it does become that. But not my favorite kit in all history of Italy, kids' funding. You don't like it either, do you? I can see you shaking your head. It's OK, but I mean, if I were to compare it, for me, the pinnacle was kappa. What kappa did in around 2000 there, every single one of them are works of art. They're just absolutely stunning. The white ones, the blue ones,
01:30:36
Speaker
it was just they were just the most beautiful ones and Italy always had the most beautiful ones whether it was 19 19 92 94 96 98 I mean it was just they were always stunning so no this does not qualify my all-time I just want to say that what the shirt I'm wearing is from mainenginepress.com they did an homage to the 1968 Italy team and go check it out that's why I'm wearing it because I think that that 1968 team is is one that is very close to my heart and everything that surrounded that
01:31:03
Speaker
Yeah, sure. I mean when I when I saw this kit when it first come out the Euro 2020 for I didn't like it I wasn't a fan of it then I bought it Well got it bought for me for my birthday actually and it has grown on me. I do like I do like it actually I do like the Touch on the on the you know with the flag here What I think lets it down is I think it's the I think it's the sponsor. I think it's adidas and
01:31:30
Speaker
I just think that Adidas has too much of a sporty, even the logo has too much of a sporty feel about it and Italy's all about more kind of elegance and more refined and it just has too much of a kind of you know
01:31:46
Speaker
that doesn't feel Italian. I also feel the Adidas logo is a little too big as well. I was just about to say that. It's as big as the emblem. You get lost a bit on the Adidas logo and not the Italy. I was just about to say that I think the Adidas logo is too big. I would like to see it smaller a little bit. Yeah, I agree with that. What is your favorite Italy kit of all time?
01:32:13
Speaker
Nima, you're going to say capper, aren't you? You're going to say... The Euro 2000, Francesco Totti, the white in the final, is the most beautiful shirt ever designed. Nothing will ever beat it. It belongs at the Louvre. It's so beautiful. It was beautiful. There we go. It was beautiful. The only thing with that is you have to be well in shape to wear the capper. If you're carrying a bit, you're not going to look good in that kit.
01:32:37
Speaker
Well, I'm sorry, but it's Italian fashion and Italian sizes, so, you know, get to the gym then. Adrian, what's your favourite kit? Well, Nima said there's no other alternative, so I'm on with it. That generation is that they were the most beautiful kits. The players looked as if they were walking a fashion catwalk, let alone playing 90 minutes of football. I don't think you can dispute that those kappa years were no number one. I mean, just hold on.
01:33:07
Speaker
just Paolo Maldini's captains the entire kit in that final I know Italy lost but that is that they never looked better they just never looked better yeah just just him and they were with that armband and you know it was just it was just fantastic all of it right
01:33:27
Speaker
They were, they weren't Roman, Roman gods, weren't they? I mean, they were, they were a good looking bunch of players back then as well. Like recently we, they haven't been, it's good to look out. I don't want to, but you know, they were, they looked like stars. They looked like superstars. But I would say that the Kappa, the Kappa, the Kappa kits were amazing. I liked the Italian 90 as well. I loved the Italian 90 kit. I thought that was a classic.
01:33:53
Speaker
I love the 82 kit. I love the world cup. I like the 94 with the repeat patterns of the logo all over the kit. I thought that was really nice. I didn't like the Euro 96 with the gold. I wasn't a fan. I wasn't a fan. I know you quite like that, Nimmo. I remember you saying before, but I'm not a fan of the gold on the Italy kit.
01:34:14
Speaker
The 2000s, some of them, it depends on how they look. The way that they designed it, in 2006, the way that they designed it with the gold and also making it a bit darker in here. They've always had the best looking kits. It's no discussion about it. Okay, right.
Quiz: English Football Culture Stereotypes
01:34:33
Speaker
Yeah, for sure. Right. OK, so to finish off now, I know you both will love this. It wouldn't be a European Championship without there being what we call a prem facery, prem demic. I mean, all of those that listen to our show regularly will know what I'm talking about. For those who don't know what a prem face is,
01:34:54
Speaker
go to Urban Dictionary but in short it is basically a it's an England national team or English Premier League fan or pundit the pundit sort of works usually on the TV or worse
01:35:11
Speaker
who are proudly arrogant and ignorant. I would say the best way to describe of all football outside of England. And that's the best way to describe it, but you'll get the idea. So now, myself, Nimr, an Adrian, we often have a lot of fun with this. I mean, if you go on to social media, go on to Switzerland, just type in premface, it's usually us kind of.
01:35:31
Speaker
like pointing out premface comments or premface acts around the world or mainly in England. So what we're going to do is we're going to finish off with a little game here. It's going to be a premface quiz, and I'm going to be the quiz master. And I'm going to ask three questions to both of you. Oh, dear. Right. And Adrian and Nima, you have to give an answer that a premface would give to answer this as if you're a premface. And if you do that,
01:36:01
Speaker
and I'm satisfied, then you will get the point. If your answer's too sensible, you won't get the point. Brilliant. Let's see who is the biggest... I've just got to say, Carlo is actually the best judge of this competition. The idea of Premface, the concept, the word, is his brainchild. He is Dr. Frankenstein to this Frankenstein monster, as you will see if you go on Urban Dictionary.
01:36:33
Speaker
Yeah, I'm gonna have to bring Cole from Bedford, who's my kind of alter ego, the Euros. There'll be a lot of material, that's for sure. So let's go then. Question one, very easy question to start with, Adrian. Who will win Euro 2024? Oh, that's easy, it's England. Correct, correct. England in the bag. In the bag.
01:37:00
Speaker
Your first question, Nimr, who is the best player in the world? Killian Mbappe or Declan Rice? Everybody knows it's Declan Rice. There's never been a midfielder like Declan Rice before. Greatest midfielder of all time.
01:37:16
Speaker
Correct, greatest player of all time, not just greatest midfielder. So 1-1 is the scores after round one. Question two, Adrian, your second question, how many France players would get into the England team? Well,
01:37:39
Speaker
Well, I don't even know any France players. Ronaldo, French. No, no, no. They've got that Mbappe. Yeah, let's go with him. Let's go 1. Mbappe, OK. I think you deserve a bonus point for not marrying any France players other than Mbappe.
01:38:02
Speaker
Correct. Correct. Nima, your second question. What is the correct way to refer to Germany? Is it Germans? Is it Germany or as you just said that, is it the Germans? The Germans. It's always the Germans.
01:38:19
Speaker
Correct. If anybody's wondering this question, if you're watching the Euros on English TV or with any English panda, just notice how when they're introducing Germany or talking about Germany, they never call them Germany.
01:38:34
Speaker
They call them the Germans. It's like they're a different species. They're not known as Germany. Someone, they're playing the opening game of the tournament. It's the Germans against Sweden. Yeah, that's how they introduce it. Gary Lineker is introducing on the BBC. So then, the opening game of the tournament, it's Scotland against the Germans. It's never Germany. Brilliant. Love it. Right. Final question. Question three. Okay.
01:39:03
Speaker
Who is to blame the England fans or the foreign police? That is a tough one.
01:39:23
Speaker
We're probably just having fun. We're probably just having a good time. It's them who created the issues. We weren't going to do that. They were creating problems for us. We were being respectful and harmless and it was them. It's the police. It's always the police or the organizers. Yeah, the security, the organizers.
01:39:42
Speaker
Or the police, yeah. Or, as is in the case on the Netflix documentary of the Euro 2020 final, it was according to one fan, it was the pandemic's fault for the England storm in the stadium. Final question, Nima. Correct. Callo, yes. Correct, yes, of course, correct. Yes. So, Nima, to avoid defeat here,
01:40:09
Speaker
In the famous English fan song, complete the lyrics to this. There were 10 joyanment bombers in the air and the... Aria from England shot one down. Correct, correct. You know your England fan songs.
01:40:29
Speaker
Yeah, get ready for that. Get ready for that in the Euros because they're playing in, well, it's in Germany, isn't it? So it's going to be a lot of those chants, that's for sure. So that's it. 3-3. You both draw, so you both share the trophy for the biggest prem face. Congratulations, guys. Thank you.
01:40:50
Speaker
So there we have it.
Adrian's Euro 2024 Coverage Plans
01:40:52
Speaker
Thank you, Nima, and thank you Adriana for joining us. It was a big pleasure for us. Just before we let you go, Adrian, so where will you be during the Euros and how will you be covering the tournament?
01:41:05
Speaker
I haven't actually officially announced yet but now basically this tournament I've covered a lot of football on the pitch the last five years and there's been a bit of a need for a break so I was offered to do that pitch side but I was also offered a couple of studio host roles so I'm actually going to be in studio for the tournament
01:41:23
Speaker
doing an anchoring role just to just to mix it up and it'll be busy but it's just to find some balance so i'm actually doing six weeks for one of my networks in india so i'm off to mumbai to do the tournament from studio there and i'll be there in a week so mixing it up a new experience a lot of passionate indian football fans i've been working for for a long time so yeah a fresh experience and adventure coming up which
01:41:49
Speaker
Yeah, it's a shame not to be going to Germany, but do need a break from the consistent matches in the stadiums from time to time. So, yeah, something different I'm looking forward to. Well, good luck. Best of luck with that. Thank you, everyone, for watching and listening. Do follow the Italian football podcast.
01:42:11
Speaker
As I said before, we'll be producing lots and lots of content, previews to matches, post-match reaction. We'll be doing lots of interviews. We've got some really good interviews lined up, and plus we'll be doing our usual transfer content that we do throughout the summer.
01:42:31
Speaker
interviewing journalists for deep dives on what all the plans are for the Serie A teams and reacting to those transfers when they happen. So everybody enjoy the Euros. Let's hope that Italy can surprise us and that we can have a great tournament and who knows, maybe retain our title that we won at Euro 2020. Thanks for watching. Ciao ciao.