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Free Weekly Pod - Mattia Zaccagni Saves Azzurri, Switzerland vs Italy Preview, Juventus-Khephren Thuram, Hakan Calhanoglu-Bayern Munich & Much More (Ep. 429)
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From Mattia Zaccagni Azzurri equalizer, Luciano Spalletti post-match meltdown, Nima vs Carlo big 3-5-2 debate, Gianluigi Donnarumma world class again, Riccardo Calafiori, Nicolo Barella, and Alessandro Bastoni continue to impress where other fail, to preview of Switzerland vs Italy EURO 2024 Round of 16 Preview, Juventus swap + cash deal with Aston Villa involving Douglas Luiz, Samuel Iling-Junior + Enzo Barrenechea, and Hakan Calhanoglu shoots down Bayern Munich links as well as Baggio, Premface and Serie Ass of the week and much, much more when Nima and Carlo break down all the main talking points from the crazy world of Italian football.
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Transcript
Introduction & Italy vs. Croatia Recap
00:00:02
Speaker
Welcome to the Italian Football Podcast. Hello, everybody, and welcome to the Italian Football Podcast, the official podcast of Football Italia. I'm Carlo Garganese, joined as always by Nima Tavalli. And on today's show, we will react to Italy's absolutely dramatic draw with Croatia from Monday night. You can probably hear from my
Italy's Strategy & Upcoming Matches
00:00:25
Speaker
voice. I've i've kind of lost my voice from from shouting when Mattia Zaccandi put the cold home that that stunning equalizer eight minutes into injury time uh to send italy through to the last 16 at the expense of croatia so we will of course fully break down the game um the winners the losers who impressed who disappointed
00:00:48
Speaker
who what we can learn from the game did the 3-5-2 work and we'll also look ahead to and preview Italy's last 16 match against Switzerland on Saturday last 16 and we are there in the in the first knockout round and also elsewhere in club matters we'll discuss Juventus' midfield revolution which now sees Juve enter talks to sign Catherine Turan from Nipnis and also Bayern Munich's bid for Hakan Chalanogoli. We'll also have our usual Bad Joe, Prim Face and Celia Ass of the Week.
Support & Subscription Information
00:01:22
Speaker
For all our first time listeners, this is our free weekly episode that we do usually every Monday, Tuesday this week, which reviews the weekend, usually the weekend Celia action, of course, and we're they out of the Celia season now, so we're reviewing
00:01:35
Speaker
the well most of the euros now but also the transfer market and everything else and all the biggest talking points in Italian football if you want to support the Italian football podcast and receive all of our content that we do throughout the week including a weekly Q and&A episode every Tuesday there we answer all of the questions from our patrons plus the weekly Thursday midweek review show plus interviews post-match reaction and much much more then go to patreon dot.com slash TIP and become a subscriber for just $2.99 a month plus VAT and we are now actually never if I'm not mistaken we've got more patrons than we've ever had ever so thank you everybody for for those of you that are so subscribed to us and we're really really grateful we're going to do lots more great content and for you going forward and hopefully in this euros let's hope it's at least take Stay in it much longer and you can also sign up to be a paid subscriber on Spotify and we'll provide the link in the description It's the same parade price same terms and for all of you that do listen on Spotify on Apple and iTunes podcast would really appreciate if you give us a five star rating Give us a follow and a like and subscribe to us on YouTube as well it really helps us to grow and do more quality content for you guys and Okay then, so Nima, let's get into today's show.
Mattia Zaccagni's Impact & Italy's Performance
00:02:49
Speaker
So then, so much to talk about this game. ah Italy against Croatia. 1-1 draw. Italy needed a draw to qualify for the last 16. We were losing 1-0. It looked like we were at risk of of going out of the competition. We'd have had to have relied on being a best third place team to qualify. And then, Mattia Zaccagni
00:03:13
Speaker
equalizers with a stunning Alessandro del Piero-like curler in the 98th minute, seven seconds before the final whistle ah was set to blow and did blow and Italy go through to the last 16, Croatia are third now and probably out and Albania who lost 1-0 to Spain ah finish fourth and are definitely out. So the first place to start, Nima, from an emotional point of view, I mean what an ending. um
00:03:45
Speaker
I watched it ah ah with my with Bianca, my missus and my dad and we shouted the whole street down when we scored. How did you so how did you re react and celebrate so that to that goal? I couldn't believe it um because it came at a point when after a half, that was one of the worst halves I've seen, worst 45 minutes I've seen in Italy seen play in in a very, very long time. um And it came out of nowhere. um but And it was a fantastic finish, very reminiscent of Del Piero in 06.
Tactical Analysis & Player Performances
00:04:21
Speaker
um And of course, Zakani spoke about it after the game himself. He said, you know, my my was del Piero was my idol. I had my entire room decorated with posters of del Piero. And so it was very surprising. And I'm very, very grateful that it came, not because I think it'll have much material impact on Italy's chances this euros. But I look a bit like I've said throughout for about a year now, um since Paletti took over pretty much, that I'm looking towards 26. And these kinds of late equalizers, these last gasp equalizers, these things build character, they build belief, they build confidence. And moving towards 26 is unfocused on that. um For me, everything that happens in this tournament is preparation preparation for 2026.
00:05:11
Speaker
Um, and, and as such, that's why I was very happy because it meant that in the group of death, um, Italy finished second. Um, they played, they were, their, their limitations were exposed against Spain for the world to see both the players limitations and the coaches tactical limitations and stubbornness. They against Albania, we saw. a good reaction again going a goal down early but reacting that builds character that builds that shows character that builds character that shows belief um and of course you had the last gasp equalizer with the final kick of the game which again builds
00:05:54
Speaker
creates belief in the squad and in the players there that they can do it even when things look dark. And even when things look impossible, they can still you know come back from the dead even after having played atrociously for 45 minutes, they can still get a result. That's what's the most important thing. And that that's what that goal represents for me. And I think it's incredibly important moving forward um just more than the point and the qualification is is is that because, you know, Yes. Well, you've so you've spoken there about the the the longer term implications of of of that goal and getting through to the to the last 16. If we focus just on the more on the short term now, i I'm sure there'll be plenty of time to review this sort of it once we... Well, hopefully we won't go out, hopefully we win it, but when we go out... which you know
00:06:41
Speaker
um let's look at the Before we we break down all that went wrong, and there was lots lots of negatives from this game, ah let's let's let's look at this from a positive point of view. Let's have a look at the winners. Let's have a look at what to take out of from this game that that was good. You've just mentioned one of them there, of course. um But Zakhani, of course, is is number one. um He kind of unlikely hero. um Very unlikely. Because we didn't really expect anything like most of our attack. And we'll come to that. You know, our attack isn't good at all. ah But so yeah he come he came on and with nine minutes to go, which I thought was too late by Spoletti, which again, I'll come on to when when I criticize Spoletti afterwards. But he came on. And I mean, that that is a that is ah
00:07:24
Speaker
really the only moment of real quality from an individual really in the game. ah Top class, I mean it's a well-class finish, let let's be honest. um So Zakany of course is is ah is a big big positive and the the question will be now whether he should start against Switzerland. We'll discuss that when we preview the Switzerland game. So Zakany of course is is a positive. um Don Narumma though, is we having i is having a monstrous he's having a monstrous tournament. He has been, there's there's no doubt about it, he's been the best goalkeeper in the tournament. Yeah, I think I said as much in my post-match reaction yesterday as well that he has been the best goalkeeper of the tournament and it's not even close. the The quality of the saves that he's made this tournament, no other goalkeeper comes close to. Against Spain, against Albania, against Croatia, these long shots drill towards the top corner that somehow he manages to
00:08:13
Speaker
not just get there, but to firmly and strongly save it. yeah And and it's you know he let's remember, he was he was under he was being questioned by some people before the tournament began. And he he he really showed leadership. I mean, this is why I think they're very happy at the FIGC that they' they insisted with making him the captain. Because that's the kind of thing you want to see. When you are under pressure, when you are being questioned, when your ability is being questioned, when you're feeling the heat from players under you that want your starting spot, you react like being the best goalkeeper in the tournament. um One of the best shot stoppers in the world.
00:08:55
Speaker
that's what you want to see. he's He was outstanding yesterday. He's been world-class he was world he's been world-classed throughout this tournament. He's been world-class in all three games. He's made miracle saves in all three matches. The game against Albania, we draw that game if it wasn't for that amazing save at the end from Manay. at the end. And then against Spain, I mean, he stopped it being a three or four nil win for Spain with some incredible saves. And then here against Croatia, he he saves the penalty from Modric. I mean, I've said it, Donnerum is the best goalkeeper in the world for saving and penalties. I mean, he just fills up the whole goal. It's it's is it's like, you know, when when you when you try and score against one of those, you know, those plastic goalkeepers that kind of swings from side to side, you know, like you get a fairgrounds and stuff.
00:09:41
Speaker
and like he's like that he's how do you score past him he just fills up the whole goal and then he made another world-class save from buddham here before before modrich then scored and then he went absolutely ballistic at his defense after that and rightfully so because he's like here i am basically making save after save after save and then you know you guys are letting me down i mean that was i mean he's And like you said, he's a leader. I'm just watching his body language as well, like before kick off as the captain, when he's going for the coin toss and just watch his whole demeanor. He just screams like, I am the man. I am the leader.
00:10:20
Speaker
He is, yeah, he's been amazing. And if we are going to go further in this tournament, I said it in our preview with Adrian before the tournament, I said, we need Don Aruma to have a massive tournament. If we're going to, you know, go further and um than the probably we should in this tournament. And that's absolutely true. If we are going to go past the laws in through the last 16 and then into the quarter finals and maybe pass the quarter finals, we're going to need Don Aruma to continue making these these incredible saves. and so far he has to say that thank god we're done we're done a rumor um thank god also for for califuri who was the other um the other big uh positive was game he was he was superb um and if it wasn't for him we don't equalize he he he
00:11:07
Speaker
He made that goal with his surge up the pitch. He picked up the ball from Donnarumma, started the move, surged into the midfield, played a 1-2, made another surge, then laid it off to Zakhani to curl it in. It was all down to Calipheoria. He finished it off with a brilliant goal, but that that was Calipheoria. He made it from from um the goalkeeper right through to Zucchini and he's the only player for Italy that that that was breaking the line, was breaking the press, was making those surges forward.
00:11:42
Speaker
um He's a special player. He won 100% of his aerial duels, completed 93% of his passes. He wasn't dribbled past once in the whole game, created four chances more than anyone in the match ah for for Italy, and of course provided that that assist at the end. um He's actually been Italy's best attacker in this tournament, the most creative player in this tournament from Censovac. And it's a shame he's suspended for Switzerland. It's going to be a huge miss. But if there's one thing we can take from this tournament, again, looking forward to the World Cup and looking forward to the future, what a what a break what a find, what a breakout. He's been kind of, he's a he's phenomenon. He's been, he's an absolute phenomenon. Thank God we had him last night.
00:12:27
Speaker
No, he he was very good. um I think other players that I think were really good were Barillan Bastani. I think Bastani defensively was simply outstanding um and also going forward. um i think he the the ah more and I'm a little bit annoyed with the second header in the second half. I think he should have got my own goal. The first one, he that where Baral Baralar hits that cross to him, hes it's he's got good power on it. He hits it properly, but he it's too central. It's a great save by Livakovic. Let's not you know let's not you know take anything away, but um I do expect him to be able to to get it more down the sides of the goalkeeper. He's a little bit too straight on. straight on but
00:13:15
Speaker
No, I thought Bastoni was outstanding. um And Barella, too, who dictated the tempo of the midfield, especially in the first half, I thought he he was, you know, though Bastoni, Barella, Donaruma, Calafiori, like those are the ones that we can say have delivered this tournament. Only the only ones. Yeah. I mean, we're honest. Yeah. The only ones, the only ones that delivered. They've carried the team. They have carried the team. I mean, it really is those four. um And I'm not too worried about him missing the Calafioni missing that game because Bastoni then goes to his normal position as a left centre back. Bonjourno finally comes in. um And so, you know, that that's that's gonna that's not a problem ah for for Italy.
00:14:02
Speaker
ah bal but so it's of course we're going to miss him because he's he's in great form and whatnot but I don't i don't see but we're going to miss him and we'll come to switzerland we are I think we will miss him but but but we've got at least we have got plays to come in that are that are good as well well I don't think that you will miss him because I think Bastogne is better in as a left centre back in a back three than Well, we're going to miss him. We're going to miss him offensively, massively, because he's been our best attacker. He's all our, all our, the our only time we break the lines is when Callifiori comes forward and he's the only one who knows how to do that. He's done it for six years at Inter and and i end for the Italy national team. I think he should be able to do that against Switzerland.
00:14:38
Speaker
because that's his normal position that's what he does week in week out ah and has done so I'm not you know if if there was any player out of those four that was to be suspended for the Switzerland game given the alternative I would have chosen Calafiori any day of the week because you don't have a replacement for Donaruma you don't have a replacement for Barstoni you don't have a replacement for ah for for but for for butalla either so you know you you need If it's going to happen to anyone in that position, I would have i'd rather have all of them. but but yeah although I'm saying if you need to choose one out of well, well, yeah, well, yeah. I mean, listen, those are the players that were good. um
00:15:14
Speaker
We can't really save anyone else. Well, it's a candy. It's a candy, of course, because he took us through. But talking generally, yeah. We should say, I mean, Spelletti will come too in the negatives. But, you know, of course, from a positive point of view for Spelletti. bringing on Zaccani did pay off. um Some of his other changes didn't, but you know we have to we have to say that bringing on Zaccani won the game, ah whether that's luck or whether that's design, it won us the game. Like I said on my post-match reaction yesterday, um I remember when Spalletti was at Roma in his first spell, and in one of his famous wars with Mourinho, they ended up in some ridiculous discussion about good coaches and lucky coaches.
00:15:59
Speaker
and Mourinho said famously to him, I'd rather be a lucky coach and win rather than be a good coach and lose. Lucky Luciano yesterday was lucky as hell because the every single tactical change he made, substitution he made, not the formation, not the start, but every single form change he made to that game was an unmitigated cluster F. He completely destabilized Italy. with his changes until
00:16:30
Speaker
za man for dar um that which wish for what for which in my opinion way too late he waited till the eighty first too late and and army am was driving me mad i was swearing i't swear in at him the whole game because he was but um basically playing as a left he was basically playing it a leftw-winger. even know he's left well that is this is This is the thing that pisses me off, because in the first half, I think he had a 100% pass accuracy, Darmia, in the first opening 45 minutes, and together with the Lorenzo, they actually handled the right side really well. However, in the second half, after fra when Fratesi came on and Pellegrini was taken off inexplicably, unless he's injured,
00:17:08
Speaker
then Then this whole thing started with Spaletti moving him about this there and the other. I don't understand the decision to play Matteo Darmian after after Croatia's open the scoring as a left wing back is one of the most insanely stupid decisions any Italy coaches ever made. I don't understand what the hell the thinking was. you he needed to bring on Zakhani way sooner, way sooner. Well what once it once it became clear that that it was just Italy completely dominating, which they did once they went to a fall, and they were just pushing up in the Croatia world, but we'll come to that we'll come onto that in a bit. Once it became clear that that that Italy were just in Croatia half the entire time and and
00:17:46
Speaker
the and and Damiang was just getting the ball on the left wing or even in the pair he had a good chance actually, he had a great chance on his left foot and totally fluffed it and he had a great chance for a cross which could have set up a goal when he fluffed it because he just doesn't have the quality. Sakani should have come on earlier when he did come off he obviously showed that quality. um The spirit of course we can say is a positive we showed the spirit of going right to the end um and and scoring maybe a little bit of luck I don't know whether there was eight minutes of stoppage time probably a bit generous, if I'm honest. I know the VAR, obviously there was a delay there, maybe a couple of minutes there. Croatia do time waste, they break up the game, which which which is what the Balkan teams or the ex-Yugoslav teams all do. they they they They do petty fouls to time waste and maybe that was a bit, but I don't think there were eight minutes. If I'm being perfectly honest, I think six minutes maybe. So we got a little bit of luck there with the with the amount of injury time played.
00:18:42
Speaker
It didn't feel like an eight-minute stoppage time. I don't know what you think about that, but... I don't know. I'm not complaining. it's No, I'm not complaining. It's not that. I just don't understand what like I just feel I liked it better in the World Cup when you understood why when there was that much, you know, that there was there was some sort of clarity and and cohesion as to why so many times so so much minutes were added. This time around, I feel like decided not to do as much. And then sometimes it is seven minutes. Sometimes it's four minutes. It's three and like there's no logic.
00:19:16
Speaker
um and and And so for me, I don't understand. um But it is what it is. I mean, it's your way for go figure
Critique of Spalletti's Tactics & Media Reaction
00:19:25
Speaker
and understand. Yeah, I'm not I'm not complaining anyway, because we would otherwise we would have lost the game. ah Let's let's have a look at the negatives now. Right. um And we'll split this up by point. um So you can see on my plan, what we're going to talk about, I want to start off with the formation, because I know we will' disagree we're going to disagree on that on this. I know that already. So let me make my point first and then you can you can come in. So first of all, we're talking about just the formation here and not necessarily the personnel, although we can talk about that as well. Like we've already spoken about Daimyan being not, you know, shouldn't have played where he played when he switched to a four.
00:20:00
Speaker
so So Italy switched so valnetti switched to a 3-5-2 as many had requested before the game. He played a 3-5-2 up until Croatia scored, and then he changed to a to a back four. Now, the way that I analyzed the 3-5-2, and I think there's nuance to here, so I don't want this to sound black and white, that I'm slamming the 3-5-2. In the 3-5-2, in the first half, defensively, we didn't concede anything, defensively. one. offensively we were pretty awful in terms of our construction of our attacks in terms of our possession and everything um but you know we were near and near that half time um you know we didn't consider anything defensively then of course Croatia stepped it up in the start of the second half we we were all for the start of the second as soon as they stepped it up they made the change the buddham here they they got the penalty and then they created those the big chance and then the and then the the save and then the equalizer and then we switched to switch to a four now
00:21:01
Speaker
i I thought after we went to a four, obviously Croatia probably getting the goal and sitting back would play a pay a part of that. After we went to a four, we we controlled we we dominated possession and territory. ah and We didn't really create that much, but we didn't really create much in the 3-5-2. I didn't like the 3-5-2. I'll be honest with you. I didn't like it. and i we we We were lucky we were playing against Croatia. um you know and And we were losing with the 3-5-2. So, yeah, um um i I don't think it worked. I don't think it worked. No, it did work because the reason we Italy were went down a goal was not because of the 3-5-2. It was because of an insane stupid decision, which again, if Pellegrini is injured, then fine. But then you bring on Fagioli or someone else.
00:21:53
Speaker
but to put Davide Fratezi on. Look, how many times do we have to see this? How many times do we have to go through this? Davide Fratezi is who he is. He is a poor man's noce rino, technically, okay? He will give you certain things because of he's he's got his timing in running from deep and smelling a goal, his dynamic runs, they can help you in the final th third. But if you're looking to construct football with Davide Fratesi, you're going to lose. It's that simple. So instead of trying square peg round, holding him into something he isn't and replacing Pellegrini, who is tactically, positionally, a 90,000 levels better a footballer than Davide Fratesi is and ever will be, then stop trying to push him into something he isn't.
00:22:43
Speaker
And Simon Inzagi has understood this, and this is why he wanted him, and this is how he uses him, because he has a much more pragmatic approach to these things. well listen we'll well well look up My point is simply this. The 3-5-2 work defensively with Italy were fantastic. What happened that derailed the 3-5-2 was when he took fratesi ah well when he put on, and Italy were from the first minute of the 45th minute until that goal, Italy were all over all over the place. Federico Di Marco, who had physical problems before coming on, because for some reason, Spaletti played him for 90 minutes or 80 minutes or whatever, for two games in a row, which is just, again, insane. You don't do that with Federico Di Marco. You know what he is. You know he can give you 70 minutes, then you have to take him off because he just stands there. You saw towards the end, Di Marco is having a horrible Euros. I'm not yeah absolving him, but everything just came came came up came, the wheels came off.
00:23:43
Speaker
with that change. And Croatia, who's midfield, Brozovic, Kovacic, Modrić, I mean, they were really good. And this is why I tweeted out, and I really believe, especially in the first half, the that I think it was the best best football, best 45 minutes of football we've seen in this tournament. And I'm not and in terms of technical quality, tactical quality and the quality of players and what they showed. It was really, really interesting to see the way they traded flows. It was really interesting to see how they you know went after each other. But for me, the way I look at that is formation is about balance. How you then move forward is a secondary thing.
00:24:27
Speaker
Valter Mazzari plays a 3-5-2. Antonio Conte plays a 3-5-2. Simon Inzaghi plays a 3-5-2. None of them played the same interpret that formation the same way. And so's so so the formation is essentially to give you balance and then you impose your own ideas. Well, yeah, listen, I think you can have a deeper discussion on the 3-5-2. You know, I'm not strictly against the 3-5-2. I don't think it worked. I mean, I can't agree with you at all on the the first half being good at all. It was it was great. it was it was it was The only thing that was good about the first half was Italy was defensively in terms of they didn't concede anything, but they were also playing against the Croatia team.
00:25:04
Speaker
who who had nothing at all. in An attack had no pace at all in behind and Creator actually a really poor team, especially offensively. um that was the only good thing That was the only good thing. In terms of in possession of the ball, um and we were awful in the first half spelleti said disagree but letti said that himself at the end of the game he said there's not this he said but leti and i quote i quote there's no denying it we were below our usual level in the first half if we don't create very much we're not going to score very much you can see we were thinking about bringing a result home without believing that we needed to win and that was the issue that italy were just playing for a draw with the three five two you know if you're happy to see italys you were happy to see italy go the entire game playing for a niil niilturera against this croatia team and fine go for the three five that's not what you see viva the danzel
00:25:52
Speaker
Luciano Spallitti said a lot of nonsense. In fact, he was completely unhinged. He got upset when the questions came in from pretty much all the journalists, all the Italian media that were really critical of the first half. No, they didn't. The very first... No, no, the very first question. Of being too... Of basically playing for the draw, of being too timid. No, that's not... I watched the interview. I watched it in two languages, that post-match, that what he got annoyed at was the very, very, very, very, very first question which said, that the players
00:26:35
Speaker
confirming that the players and him ah the players had asked him to change formation to a 3-5-2 because they're more comfortable with it. and the And the journalist was trying to be clever, saying, well, it's it's my observation that there is a pact between you and the players that you want to change to a 3-5-2. And Spaliti went on an unhinged rant, talking about people who leak things out of the national team want to hurt the national team. And then he you know went into this unhinged this rant for 22 minutes. about talking about how I'm 65, you're 51, I'm 14 years more, you're superior, don't try to bullshit me. we were we We did this, that, and the other, completely contradicting himself for 22 minutes, making no sense whatsoever, saying that Italy played, was solid in the second half when they were anything but solid, there was hardly anything there, um and and and just was was just completely rambling. um And you can see it, Patrick Kendrick, God bless him, he had to work hard for his money,
00:27:32
Speaker
yesterday because he was doing the simultaneous interpreting for UEFA when Spaletti was going on on one of his heart, one of his rants, so go and check that out. It was absolutely, it was unhinged. I mean, usually when I see people talking like that, I'm dropping change in their cup. It was like listening to to the ramblings of an incoherent alcoholic who lives, oh who's homeless. Yeah, listen, the point, listen, this and so i live so what he said yesterday, I'm sorry, Yeah, but it's not just him. The Sky Sport Italian pundits, all a lot all the journalists were saying that Italy were just went there to play for a draw. I can't accept just going there. I didn't think they did play for a draw. and What I saw was it was the first opening minutes of a fairly balanced
00:28:10
Speaker
italy had italy had croatia had more than more than sixty percent possession in the in the in the first half in the second half italy had sixty five percent possession because in in this segment of and crook creation she didn't have a single chance after the after they score Because they parked the boat, the bus, the plane. I will be surprised if he plays a 3-5-2 again after after watching that. I thought it was i thought it was it was hot against a better team. you you i mean listen Spain is another talking point. spain is and well i mean like for spain spain or spain right but if we Let me finish in a minute. if we If we take the first game against Albania when we played with the four, I thought we but we were really good. Again, not a good team. and But Albania drew with with Croatia, probably about the same level as Croatia based on what we've seen in this tournament. And and then, of course, we got hammered with the four by Spain. And we will learn from that. And we definitely can't play with the four if we play against Spain again, because they are so much better than us. They're probably better than anyone else. But in this game, I thought it was a mistake going back to going to a three against this Croatia team who had nothing in attack at all. They've got nothing in attack. And just we basically just handed them all the initiative by playing the three points and being so defensive. And so so just sitting back and just basically being a counter. I disagree. I disagree with that, because the stats don't back that up. Italy had an 0.42 XG in the first half, even though Croatia had 57% position, but and big Italy had the biggest chance of that first half. In the second half, if you actually look at it when they went to a back four, Croatia had a 1.45 XG, if you remove it. No, that's untrue. No, Croatia's XG came before... before Italy went to a back four.
00:29:53
Speaker
But when before they scored the goal, when they scored the goal, that's where they're actually going. They had no XG after the after it's gracious score. They had no XG. It's who were playing in a back three when they when they had the penalty and when they when they scored the goal, it's the winner back three. So that's the only one you can't tell me that that's simply untrue. That's untrue. It's not. Well, I've just said it is. I just don't care what you said. It's not you saying something is untrue. Listen to me. Let me explain. You said Croatia. You said Croatia's XG came after Italy went to a four. That's untrue. It came before they went to a four. Croatia's XG came when they had the penalty. and when they had the chance from the Demir and then the goal from Modric, Italy were playing in a back three at that time. Then Italy switched to a back four, Croatia had no, it hadn't created nothing after that. So that's the facts. Yeah, but at the same time, the reason, if you look at it more than that, if you look at how those chances where they came from,
00:30:50
Speaker
they didn't have anything to do with ah with with the formation as it's as in and of itself. It had to do with the de-complete destabilisation of the team by front inexplicably bringing Pellegrini off and putting Fratesi on there, which completely handed the initiative over the breach. That's not could be part of it. that not That's your opinion. and That's your opinion. That is a fact. for that and you rep play is a fact because go and watch the game how you literally considered yourself for the first 45 minutes Italy was stable defensively but they were horrendous offensively what happened between the first and the second half Pellegrini was off he wasnt no croatia brought Croatia brought on a sense of forward Budimir who had the header that led to the goal that Croatia changed their format changed their tactics and information they went more offensive the first half they were very slow passed sideways sideway sideways sideways they had nothing in attack
00:31:37
Speaker
second And Gavi de Protesi came also in. But also Croatia ah went offensive, they needed the goal, they started to to attack more and Italy playing so timid, so so so deep, so defensive, eventually the the pressure told me it's good. So it's a bit of both. I'm not denying that Spelletti's changes were bad and Protesi was untruthious. What I would say, we disagree with the question. I don't like three five two i don't think we we should we should continue with that. The 352, after having played Spain, after having shown after having played Albania, after having looked at all of this,
00:32:11
Speaker
um you You can't tell me after having watched that game that Italy did not look more stable, more balanced with a 3-5-2. In the first half, yes, defensively. but Like that is just... Defensively, but not offensively. Against better teams, Nimmer, who have got more in attack. Croatia have got nothing in attack. They've got one of the worst attacks in the whole tournament. They're horrendous in attack. There's nothing there. Me and you could probably play at the back against it against against that against no we couldn't we im actually maybe reading maybe not maybe a couple of years ago i could have yeah maybe that's how bad they that's how bad their attack. really have You have PTSD from Allegri and as soon as you see someone play 3-5-2 and not gung-ho you automatically think that they're going to start parking the bus. That's not what happened with Italy. Italy created didn't create a lot in the first half but they were balanced and they created a good chance, they should have scored. and we're talking about I'm like okay with playing the 3-5-2 if we were ahead, we just want to hold on to it, you know but I can't It's not a defensive formation. because again a three well let's say well let's let's agree let's Let's compromise and say that the way that the way that that the the mentality of of being that, not the 3-5-2, but just sitting back. Croatia had so much possession and territory, but they just went... They're just useless and couldn't do anything with it. in the first time But then the second off, once they put the pressure on, you know, okay, you say for tears, he's part of that. I say maybe a bit, but also Buddha coming on and Croatia attacking more once they, it's a bri me it's not messy coming on. I don't understand why Buddha coming on his son of sons. This this fantastic. Like, no, because they had a center forward. They had a cross. They started putting crosses in. They started crossing exactly. and And that's kind of how how they they created the goal. But the problem is that the balance was lost because he took off ah
00:34:10
Speaker
Pellegrini put on Fratizzi and then from then Italy were all over the place. Villorinta was all over the place. Dan Yang was all over the place. We can't, but even if I accept the 3-5-2 as information, we can't just have the same 11 players playing all the time. You don't need to have the same 11 players playing. you absolutely don't you can you can put on cambia sombella nova on the wings you can put one join in the middle yeah but i'm talking about the center of and talking about the cinema i i understand the reason i understand the reason why he brought on fratizzi by the way fratizzi was the wrong player but he there was so much space out wide in in this in this system and he he obviously wanted some attacking the filters that could
00:34:45
Speaker
could make use of that but but yeah but I mean it's it's it's and and and that's another thing that he would you know in his incoherent word salad that went on for 22 minutes post game he was talking about you know I talked to the players and playing a three five two is you know I wrote my dissertation playing a three five two I don't have a problem playing a three five two ah the problem is the approach and blah blah blah and then he contradicts that five seconds later but listen if we if we move on let me finish let me finish let me finish my point is this The first half was good from Italy in terms of balance. That's what I want to see. I want to see a team that is balanced in both phases. I don't want to see like watching my godson play, which is essentially the ball in the middle and 22 children running after the ball like a herd of elephants back and forth, back and forth. No shape, no structure, no nothing.
00:35:34
Speaker
that's what you saw for the second half. Croatia completely just parked everything they had and Italy had no structure, nothing. They didn't create a goddamn thing except for the header from a corner from a set piece from Bastoni and Skamaka. Yeah, yeah. Damien had a big chance and he messed it up and then... No, well I'd say more Skamaka completely has also been awful. this Yeah, listen well let's move on. Let's move on to the attack. Let me just finish let me finish finish my point. My point is simply this. What I want to see is balance in both phases. When you have balance from the back, what you saw in the first half, and for those 15-20 minutes, I thought it was the best football that I've seen Italy play, given the level of the opposition and the importance of the game. It was a very, very balanced approach for 15-20 minutes. The problem is that Italy don't have the bite up front. They just don't. Well, that brings me on nicely. That brings me on like, that brings me on nicely then to the attack because, and this is something that also Spelletti said, um, is, you know, he basically said, I'm paraphrasing, but he basically says, look, we can play, we can play a three at the back. We can play a three at the back. We can play a four at the back. We can play defensive. We can play attacking. We can play counter-attacking with whatever you name it, whichever taxi you want to play. The end of the day, he didn't say we had no quality, but he kind of did.
00:36:53
Speaker
and you know Our attack is abysmal. and We've got no quality from the attack. We can't construct the attacks because we don't have the quality with the attacking midfielders. um that you know that that yeah The only chances that that we were creating were were basically from crosses and set pieces throughout this game. ah and you know The number of shots on target that we had, we had three in the entire game, two until that that That's a can you that's a can you go? We had zero shots on target against Spain in the in the entire game I mean in this game Rettaghi he worked hard, but let's be honest. He's he's a very limited player I spoke to people the rapid game that watched him live and they they said the same thing um You know, he's got nothing outside the box Skamaka will come on. I want to come on to Skamaka separately in a minute Let's not let's not expand them in that he was a disaster when he came on. He is a tried hard He was a bit better than he was it's but he was still not very good. He at least stretched the play a little bit. bit bit no i'd i'd rather The only person who actually did something when trying to construct was actually Raspadori. His movement in between the lines. I thought he was horrendous. He tried. he He did something. thing. I thought, listen, I thought he was well, I thought Raspadori was horrendous as well. And then as a can you come on and he showed the only quality. In fact, he was probably the only one that showed any quality against Spain when he come on as well. So the point I'm making is that we've sat here and argued for 20 minutes over 352-4231, you know, and you've made your points, I've made your points. And we're going to agree, you know, we we disagree on on quite a lot of that. But at the end of the day, now or whatever we play,
00:38:27
Speaker
We just don't have the attack or the attacking players or the players. We just don't have it. No, I see. I disagree with that. I think Raspadori and Scamaca playing together is the way forward. um I think when Antonio Conte was watching Raspadori, especially in the first half and how he moves between the lines, I think he was very, very pleased. I think he's looking back going, hmm, I found my. my Italian Lautaro to my way Obviously no, no, but I think he you know I'm i'm not comparing them and saying his laptop is ten times the player as bad or he is and has been in his career but I do think that as bad or II in terms of as a second but second striker second Apunta can actually do something and I think he's looking he looked at them and said I can actually work with that um I think that's bad or Ian Scamaka is the way forward I don't understand
00:39:13
Speaker
Well, can we come on to that in the Switzerland game? Because I did want to ask you that, actually, because I think that I think that could be an option because we need to do something to change. We can't continue with this with with with what we are producing offensively, both in the I'm sorry, but it wasn't good enough when the three it wasn't good enough. oh That's the thing. It wasn't good enough offensively in the in the first half or the second half. You know, any need system it hasn't. happened I wanted to. That's what I wanted to say. I agree with you on the chance creation overall. It's not good enough. I'm sorry, I'm not counting the the um the set pieces, because i that's a set piece. I'm talking from open play. The challenge creation was just not good enough here. And there was there was space to create. The two games in a row. Yeah. Yeah, but the Spain game is... I know Spain game is Spain game, but what I'm saying is that we're just not creating chances at all. That's the thing that worries me. And kind and and and that's the thing that annoys me, um because I think I don't... it's like again I find it hard Nima to to blame Spelletti and this is why I think that people shouldn't be just shouldn't be too not they're not saying you up but I'm just saying in general you know when people are you know critics will be criticizing I think we this that's why we we can't be obviously we can blame him a little bit Spelletti but but you know I don't he can be don't think we can be too hard on him from
00:40:25
Speaker
from the offensive point of view. When when you look at the the the attackers that we have, are just we just the quality just isn't there. It really isn't there. and it's I'm just glad we we somehow got through because you didn't see them scoring, did you? ah it needed No, I really didn't. It needed a moment of of magic. Individual brilliance. Yeah, which I don't think didn't think we would have. no is with but He somehow pulled it out of the bag. Skamaka though, just just just talking specifically on Skamaka. It wasn't all his fault in this game, because as I've said, and um this is something I'm very critical on Spelletti, you know, you know, I've say this all the time, two twin towers in attack together, when does it ever work when you've got to six footers together? It never works. It never works. Everything.
00:41:08
Speaker
if you're Mackle and and and if Rettigy together he just was never going to work listen if you played if you played like that against Albania where you dominate possession where you where you know you're going to be parked in the opposition's bus and you're going to pepper in crosses into the box then i get why you play two twin towers the two twin towers but in this game It was simple. And who was going to put the crosses in, DiMarco? Exactly. That's exactly my point. So by the time he put Scamaca on for Aspadori, it was meaningless because you didn't have anyone could cross it properly. Like, that's the point I'm making. It's it's like these are, in these are the... in and That damaged our, ah because we were actually, for about 15 minutes, we got really on top and we were really pushing them back and we had like the header, we had the Darmian chants.
00:41:54
Speaker
And we were pushing them without creating too much, but then when he brought on Skamaka and put him up front for long, he just it just completely, all the momentum was completely lost um um that from that moment. So I criticise Spilletti on that, but if we're talking just on Skamaka though, other than the other than the fact that he wasn't put in really very good conditions to do well in this game. Still you we expect a lot more from him and I thought his I thought he was very poor ah when he came on and Just he didn't really he didn't do anything didn't hold it up. He didn't his movement was back his movement in the box is that we know we praised him in his last two to three months the season with Atlanta and how his
00:42:31
Speaker
movement outside the box has improved, because that was something that we were very critical of him, his movement, his his run in his, you know, his press. And I think that has improved. ah But his movement inside the box, I said this a a couple of weeks ago, I think in our preview, that is something that is just still not good enough. And that is perfectly exemplified by the the the quiesa cross across the six yard box and he should be if his movement is better he should be tapping that in he should be charging in front of his man and and making that ah making that tapping and and tapping it in and he didn't because
Defensive Challenges & Match Preview against Switzerland
00:43:07
Speaker
his his movement and his desire i know he's been called lazy you know he that is missing from his game and and that should that should have been a goal
00:43:15
Speaker
he should so his his Look, I love Skamaka. Everybody who listens to this podcast and follows me on social media and has followed my work for the last three years knows I absolutely love Skamaka as a player. I think the character, he is his talent. But he he has really pissed me off this tournament, especially in the last two games. It's it's like he he needs someone to baby and pamper him. And that's not good enough for a 25-year-old. I'm sorry. It's just not good enough for a 25-year-old who hasn't who's who's still in the process of building his career. He's not established he's not an established striker.
00:43:53
Speaker
um And um the fact that he behaves like he is, at times, is infuriating. No, he's coming off two months, two great months. Let's be honest, the rest of the season was poor. Yeah, that's all you've done. Literally, that's all you've done. And that pisses me off. Now, we do know that when when he's scolded and he needs to kick up the ass to wake up, I hope this is to kick up the ass. Because This is becoming... We expect more from him. Way more. Whether you're putting back... Listen, again, I wasn't that critical. When I did our post match after the Spain game, I wasn't that critical because I said, look, what can you really expect from this game? I agreed. In this game where we're in our penalty area, the whole game, and he's got three men or two men on him every time. But still, certainly in this game, if he is... I mean, he is the one player I was kind of hoping could do something for an eye attack.
00:44:45
Speaker
It could make the difference in a chapter that I've been giving up on all the rest of them, including Spas, I'm very quickly giving up on Kiezer as well. But Skamaka, I thought he's got there. He's got the talent there. He could, you know, if he brings that last two months, and so far he hasn't. And you expect him even in difficult conditions to to do something can and he hasn't in this game. 100%. 100%. Yeah, 100%. Like, i'm I'm really, really disappointed. I'm really annoyed. I didn't expect anything from Kiazaa because I think Kiazaa, I think, unfortunately, yeah, it's not happening. in But I thought I thought he was a bit better. I mean, I thought at least he gave us a wide option. Okay, I know that's not much to ask, but he gave us, he gave us something and he put in that cross, which should have been a goal. We should have had an assist. So, you know, but yeah, yeah, we we are clutching at straws with our We were literally clutching at Strosses. He was awful. This week of forte means I just want to just one last point. yeah and the loreo This is why i I have my doubts about him as a wingback. He doesn't move naturally. He doesn't understand the position naturally. And I think the goal was a great example of this. He should be all over that helping out the back three. He isn't. He's ball watching because he doesn't. He's not a stupid player and he's very experienced. He's actually a very intelligent player.
00:46:01
Speaker
But he doesn't understand that wide role as a wingback. And I think that's the problem. That's why I've been somewhat, not critical, but um I've been a little bit skeptical of him as well. Yeah. Yeah. I think there was, there was, yeah, I don't think he was awful in this game. No, I think he was bad. He was bad. i He was bad. He was bad in this game, that especially after, you know, the the second half was all of them were atrocious. It's it's like picking who's who was the worst. ah But, but the first half when he did all right, when he was good together with Dan Mian, when they were like kind of covering that and
00:46:35
Speaker
you could still see that it's not a position that comes naturally to him. Whether you can work with that, we'll have to see if Antonio Conte can work his magic if he decides to stay. Let's move on to Protes, we have to talk ah talk about him. Obviously he gave the handboard away for the penalty which Look, I don't want to be too harsh on him for that because we've seen that that that kind of thing can happen in modern football is is, you know, it's always going to be debated, you know, should should, you know, the handball rule um is a little bit unlucky. It's a bit naive and stupid to have your hand that high, but it's also sometimes a bit natural as well, you know, so hand up in the air. It's the correct decision yeah by the rules. It's a clear penalty. We can't we can't complain about the penalty decision. But away from that, um God, he was bad. Again, you can criticise as you've already have about
00:47:23
Speaker
you know was he put was the conditions he's put in god my gosh my god he was mad this is who he is he's not you're not supposed to build with him like again look at what in zaghi does with him at inte this is this is what i mean when i say pragmatic i don't mean Pragmatic doesn't mean defensive. Pragmatic means make the best of what you've got, okay? And Fratesi cannot build that play. he Like, I don't understand. It's like, you know, if you buy a dog and you expect it to be a cat, you don't get angry at the dog. For goodness sake! That's brilliant. I love that. Did you just make that up yourself? Yeah, I did.
00:48:06
Speaker
but rhythm jesus it pisses me off like stop it He's not that guy. He isn't the guy you use to build a play with midfield. and He just isn't. So stop trying to make him be that. He's not a very good passer. he's not very good technically Not a good passer is their understatement of the century. to me He had a 40% pass success rate. 40%. I mean, that is, I mean, I know people have been terrorists people have been taking the piss out of him this season by having a 50% pass success rate. Some games I've seen, I've seen Uncle Shama always, is always going on at him. But 40% pass success rate. I mean, that his passing is pub standard. I'm sorry, but can I just say, and and also, this is quite a Misaka patron called him the Italian McKinney.
00:48:52
Speaker
which I think is a bit harsh but I kind of see where he's coming from like when he is in possession of the ball. No look what he can do he can run. Yes but that's the thing what he does have is in the final third he has natural high IQ in the sense that he can he knows when to time his runs into the box into the opposition's box and that's why he scores so much he's a good finisher he he can read in the final third really well but other than that and he's dynamic but other than that my god in heaven he is not a midfielder that creates via passing can we please stop with this ridiculous experiment before it costs yeah he can run but he can't use the football but ironically if it wasn't for his poor technique um
00:49:39
Speaker
ah frazi We wouldn't have scored the goal because, um, because, uh, Callifuri passes it to, to, uh, to, to pretend that you kind of miscontrols it. And then because of that commits a player who then allows him to just nip it away from him back to, to Callifuri. So actually, yeah, it actually helped us. yeah no it didn and and it' But it's like, it's just, it's just so. Darmian as well, I thought was was was was awful. Again, he was put in conditions. against didn't which didn't help mail darian did he did lose his He did lose his man on the gold as well, though. well they they They both had their man, but if you look at the ball, there's a lot of things that happened there. First of all, i don't I think Bastoni ducks because he obviously hears something, otherwise he wouldn't duck. So there's miscommunication there. And then
00:50:27
Speaker
You know, Darmian doesn't react a little bit too late, but you should be, you should have help from your wing back. I mean, it's, it's the all of the defense really, but again, it just, it, it, they went walkabout and I feel really, really bad for Donaroma there because he was, how did you see him go ballistic? Well of course he does he just saved a bloody penalty 35 seconds earlier yeah he just made a fantastic save twice and then I mean at what at some point you go am I alone here like it was it was oh i was abandoned it was abandoned it's like well you guys fancy helping me out like it's's like am I alone here it's it's just
00:51:05
Speaker
but Finally, DeMarco, he's having a tournament from hell and at the moment. but what what relief what what is what is What is the the worst about DeMarco? We expect him to not be the best offensively and we we kind of just accept that's going to be the case because he's going to bring us something going the other way. he's been so bad with the boys given the ball away all the time is crossing has been bad he's not even be in the first man with with his with his crosses and and it's like you know that's what ah that is what is is ah inexplicable because he's usually.
00:51:36
Speaker
He never gives the ball away. He's what's so well-classed with his balls, whether they're short, medium, and especially the long ball. Let's also remember that he was he was very doubtful to play because he was injured. and spite of they kind of It wasn't just this game though. It's been all of them. No, no, it is. But I know, but I'm just saying he's he's not fit. I think it's a physical issue and they have to bench him. He can't play against Switzerland. He's he's just not in a condition to play. physically, mentally. I mean, when you're running with the ball in a straight line and you fail to even do that. and You run it straight out of play. I mean, but it's like, I call him white dumfries when he when he does stuff like that. That's what Denzel Dumfries does. I mean, he was the white dumfries and Italy don't need the white Denzel dumfries. So no, he needs to, that there's something wrong there.
00:52:22
Speaker
um and he needs to he needs to be he needs to be rested um before he harms himself because i think there's there's a physical problem there and mentally he's just not there he looks completely jaded exhausted now they they need to bench him i i think you need to start you know you need to play can be us on the left and Bela Novo on the right. yeah well We'll come to that in a second. find final point Two final quick points. First of all, it's hard to see us going much further in this tournament as we are playing at the moment, the quality that we have. But you know let's look at it positive for now. Let's enjoy this. It was an amazing ending. It's one of the most dramatic endings we will ever see as an Italy national team fair in terms of
00:53:02
Speaker
the good we've had some bad very dramatic endings but in terms of the good it's one of the most dramatic endings you're going to get to a game so let's you know it's amazing let's just hope it builds some team spirit you know the way they all celebrate exactly yeah you know that that it can build some team spirit kind of that's exactly it look i as i kept saying for a year and a half now and i said repeatedly on this pod i look at this as moving towards 2026 And when you is this something to build on moving forward to 2026? Yes, I do think so. Because with if you continue with the 3-5-2 or 3-4-2 and whatever, but that this that the evidently are comfortable with playing, who have you got that isn't in there? You've got Destiny Udoji. You've got Sandra Tonali. Look, these are players that can function in the system. There is quality there to add. There are players that
00:53:52
Speaker
you know, there are there is depth to be had and added. And there are going to be Michael Coyote, who I think is going to be one of the most important, but he's definitely going to start for Italy within two, three years as a right wing back or whatever. Like you have players that can play the Spalletti style of football and that can function in a system as well. ah i'm not I'm not worried. I actually am very, very I'm very optimistic going to 26. Well, so well we're still we're still here in 2024. Let me just also say goodbye to Modric, thank you. A beautiful tribute from from the right commentator and yeah and the press. conference out That was really beautiful. um and It probably is going to be his final game. um honestly give him maybe They might give him a farewell game, but it's going to be his final tournament and final.
00:54:40
Speaker
ah important game and because I think Croatia they need an absolute miracle to to to go through now that I mean I think they're almost certainly out now but let Italy are through though and so let's preview ah the last 16 on Saturday Italy against Switzerland who are the runners up of group A. They're unbeaten. They got five points from their three games. They beat Hungary 3-1 in the first match. Very impressive performance. Then they drew 1-1 with Scotland and in the same score, 1-1 with Germany. They very nearly topped the group. and They were winning 1-0 for much of that game against Germany. Fantastic. ah Only for Germany. good substitute Nicholas Fulkruch to equalise in injury time, which allowed Germany to to win the group. Otherwise, Italy would have been playing Germany. um So let's look at how good ah how good Switzerland are, first of all. As I said, I think they were excellent in their first and third games. Not so good against Scotland, but they are a very well organised and well-drilled team. that Germany really struggled to to create against them. Switzerland took a deserved lead and Doi
00:55:45
Speaker
ah was all who scored and was also inches away from making it 2-0 and had a had a second goal. So they played 3-4-2-1. I mean, they are a very well organized and very well drilled team is the best way that I would describe them. And I think they have more more ah weapons offensively than than Croatia do. So I think it's going to be a very, very difficult game, Nimmer. I couldn't agree more. I think you're absolutely right. I think Switzerland are have been really, really good. They've been one of the better teams in this tournament and they've got good players. um And they have players who play at big clubs and do and are important at big clubs. um You know, you have the Bologna block and the Serie A influence that they've been all of them. by all on
00:56:28
Speaker
They've been all of them, all Bologna players, I have to say. I saw that Bologna players or players from Bologna are the ones that have scored the most and assisted the most this tournament out of all the clubs. I think six goals and five assists from Bologna players in this tournament. Yeah, I saw a stat on that. like it's it's just they They have been brilliant, this this tournament, Bologna players. so Yeah, look, it's um it's ah look so so and and you know they've got they've got quite a few Bologna players in that team. They have Akanji who ah is great very good. monster yeah He's been so underrated for a long time. I've always been a big fan of Akanji.
00:57:10
Speaker
I know you have. And Jan Sommer, who I think has made howlers... He got away with one, didn't he? He got away with one against Germany. But we all know that he's... The thing about Sommer that I absolutely love is if you're going to teach mental strength of a goalkeeper to someone, I'd use Jan Sommer because if he makes a mistake, he immediately has that ability to just brush it off and then pull off a magical save. That's mental strength, to not let one mistake kind of drag you along for the rest of the game. Sommer does this over and over again. He can make a mistake, but it doesn't bother him because he can he can kind he he just wiped we just brushes it off and goes into the next situation and pulls off a miracle save. And he's done it at Inter for quite some time. Or he's he's done it at Inter for many times last season and he's done it throughout his career.
00:58:02
Speaker
And then you see it at Switzerland as well, that yes, he can make a mistake, but that doesn't bother him, because he can then turn up and pull off one of those crazy cat-like reflexes. Now, there's they're good. They're very solid in sentiment midfield freila and Froiler and Jacque are very, very... They don't give much away. And they've both been great in this tournament. A.B. Schaff from Bologna has been fantastic. ah But Dan Undoy is the one that's really broken out, because I've always... I've said since the start of of the season, that he has the attributes, he has the pace, he has the dribbling, he works hard um and you know he has the quality. He's a very raw player, very raw talent but what has let him down for Bologna this season and he only scored one goal for Bologna which is right near the end of the season as well, his final product and his finishing has really let him down.
00:58:49
Speaker
like he he A bit like Adeyemi, the Germany player, really got that pace and drive but lets himself down with the final ball. But the raw talent is there and it's like in this tournament, he started to have a final product and he showed that a again we showed that in the group against Germany especially, he scored the goal with a really really good finish actually. um So he is he is going to be dangerous because he's got that explosiveness about him that can cause, and and they've actually got some explosive players like Imbolo's quick, Okafo hasn't played much at all, and not sure if he's played at all, but if he comes on, he's he's a dangerous player. So you know they have got some some weapons that we have to, we had you know much more than Croatia, because that was the thing about Croatia, Croatia just had nothing can attack, they can't couldn't stretch us.
00:59:34
Speaker
We were never going to get, they were never going to put balls in behind. We never had to worry about what was going over the top of us or anyone running into the channels. We just had to basically defend our box, defend crosses, defend those pockets on the edge of the area kind of stuff. That would be different against Switzerland. There's always going to be a threat, you know, um in the game. so Yeah, it's going to be a difficult game. They're probably 11. Sommer will play in goal. It will be Fabian Shah, Akanji, and ri Ricardo Rodriguez will be the three centre-backs. Freude and Jaco will play at centre-midfield. Ibisha will play definitely as the kind of more the left-sided midfielder. Silvan Widmer is suspended, so he will be replaced. I'm not sure he will come in for him.
01:00:14
Speaker
Then Dan and doi would definitely play ah Then it is kind of like a question mark like who the two support and attackers will be one could be in doi And if it is him the other would be either Rita who played the last game Ruben Vargas or Shakiri who still around and actually scored a great goal against Scotland i did or or um and doi could play up front or Actually in bolo who start the last game could play and as the as the attacker and doi playing support attack So there's a bit of uncertainty there, but there is quality what's the
01:00:44
Speaker
is What's his name? ah Milan Okafor. Yeah, Okafor. I'm not sure if he's played at all yet in this one, but he's there and he's ah he's a weapon. I mean, I like him.
Italy's Tournament Journey & Spalletti's Communication Issues
01:00:54
Speaker
and I like him too, but i've I've not seen any injury reports on him, but you never know with him. Yeah, i'm not sure what's going I'm not sure what's going on there. and But obviously, look, we know them well. They know us well. World Cup 2022 nightmares. they they They did it. we did They become a brothers in our group. All I will say is this, nima if we get a penalty, do not let your GDO take it. That's all I will say. I'll miss those two penalties in the World Cup. No, look, I think they're a good side. And I think that potentially I think they could they could knock Italy out, if I'm perfectly honest.
01:01:31
Speaker
Because but we can also beat them like let's put this off Germany Germany yeah would would kill us would have killed us Germany would would rip Italy limb by limb apart It would be it would be so good for that last minute that lastlo Yeah, yeah and no no, no Germany would just rip like it would look like the Texas Chainsaw Massacre like they would just Destroy this Italy side. So no, no. No, this is look I think I think it's going to be tough. I think this could go to 120 minutes, possibly even penalties. good I think it's because I think these are two teams that are fairly well balanced. And I think that, you know, then it it really is a toss up for me who wins it. I couldn't tell you, I think I'd even go so say that Switzerland are slight favorites. But I will tell you this, if Italy only get to the quarterfinals,
01:02:24
Speaker
then no one can complain, results wise. The question then becomes, okay, you you've completed what was asked of you. You finished second in the group and you got to the quarterfinals. That's what we can ask of you. From here on out to move on to a semi, to a final, that is the next step and that's the most difficult step yeah and that that's probably going to be a step too far but we know we can we this tournament yes probably probably gonna be a step what i mean yeah but what i mean by that what i mean by that is that i think i um i'm okay with that because it will
01:03:03
Speaker
It provides Spaletti and this team with something to build on, something to look forward when looking we looking to the future. And that, I think, is the most important thing. Well, if if we if we just look ahead just to this game, I don't want to have ah another long debate over what formation we play. So everybody that's listening to just the preview of this game, because we've clicked this up just to just to just just as a Italy-Switzerland preview. So for those of you who are just listening to the preview, listen to our full show and where we have a long debate over the 3-5-2 versus bat-4. So I don't want to debate that ah now over whether we should play the 3-5-2 or go back to a 4. It's too early right now to say what a pole ball 11 will be, but I think the current the only guarantees, Nima, are those four players we mentioned before that have carried Italy in the tournament. Donnarumma, well, Calipari suspended. So Donnarumma, Bastani and Barella,
01:03:53
Speaker
along with, I would say Di Lorenzo because I can't see him dropping Di Lorenzo. I think those are you those four are the only guarantees for me. He's never going to drop Di Lorenzo after referring to him as his son. which is so also Other than those four, nimer I think they're the only four absolute guarantees because if you look at around the rest of the team, I mean Di Marco, as we've said, you know, he needs to DiMarco looks dead. Califuri is suspended. So probably Buon Giorno or Mancini will come in for him. Giorgino, we know that he can't play too too many games in succession. I mean, I would expect him surely to play because of lack of alternatives, but you know he could be exhausted. there's not It's not impossible. He could be rested. Pellegrini, I mean, I don't know ah there if he would start. And then he got Raspadorian Retigri as the attackers. I mean, you know they could possibly both be changed as well. So it's going to be...
01:04:44
Speaker
It's difficult to say what it's least alone could be this mean it could be. like we We're recording this on Tuesday. The game's played on Saturday. I think it's just like the game you know going into the Croatia game. I think we'll he'll make up his decision. as you know You'll push it until the very end. yeah I still think it's going to be a 3-5-2. um because this is a knockout stage game and you need to you need to have defensive stability um i think he'll probably start mancini or darmian to the right bonjourno in the middle um bastoni to the left i think he'll start dulorenzo as a right wing back he'll continue with that um i think it's going to be barrella jorginio pellegrini and uh cambiaso to the left
01:05:28
Speaker
And then up front, I think he's going to continue with Retegi and Rasparori or Kieza, one of the two. um I don't think he'll start with Skamaka based on what he saw. um He didn't help himself, did he with the or he? Or he could play, you know, if he wanted to bring on Zakanyi and play Zakanyi and Retegi. Well, that's it. Yeah. I mean, do you, do you start the candy? I mean, I mean, I think you can't say that he doesn't deserve to start. I think you can't, you're not going to start as a candy. If he plays a three five two, you're not going to start as a candy. Cause if you can't play him in a front two, but if you're playing a four, two, three, if he goes back to the four, two, three, one, I think you probably have to place a candy, place a candy on the left, like he is on the right.
01:06:10
Speaker
you have to you can play a three four two you can play a three four two one as well you can have but in yeah well i'm playing with the field in the two behind the one possibly possibly but i mean yeah i mean not not not impossible but if you do that yeah i mean think you think he has to he has to start he has been i know he hasn't played many minutes but yeah he's actually been good in the few minutes that he's been given him no one can say anything that about Zakhani starting at this point, given what the other attackers... That's exactly, exactly. like You cannot criticise him for starting Zakhani. You just can't. Not when you have looked at the absolute cluster F of a performance from all four Italian attackers. Kiesa, Raspadori, Skamak, Garrett. Finally, Nima, final question. um What can we target in this Switzerland team? For me,
01:06:58
Speaker
personnel wise Riccardo Rodriguez. I know he plays better for Switzerland, but let's be honest, his Serie A career has been pretty average, hasn't it? I think on the wings. vi de merhar rodriguez abishchar I think that's where you hurt them. bit was suspended by the way Yeah, sorry. Yeah, yeah you're right. um But yeah, on the wings, I think it's on the wings where you need to, where you can dominate, where you can probably overtake them. I think Froiler and Chaka have been very good in midfield. It's going to be a very interesting central midfield matchup. um
01:07:30
Speaker
against Barilla and Giorginio, who i why we all know is are going to start. But so so that's that's going to be key. And I think if Barilla and Giorginio is fantastically well, that I think they did in the first half against Modric and Kovacic and Brozovic. Brozovic, who I thought was really good in this game. He was very, very good. yeah um It was the Brozovic of old. I think it was shades of the Brozovic of old. But if you can if you can control that, if you can survive that and do well against that, you should be able to handle Shaka and Froiler too. if you know it's It's a very interesting midfield battle, but I think they should be able to do that. It's going to be a very interesting test, but I think that's where this is going to be won. And again, Switzerland, you know they're very well organized and they're tactically solid and they're actually very good at counter-attacking. I don't want to see Italy
01:08:22
Speaker
bum-rushing this. I want them to be, because this is a knockout game, this is a group stage game, you don't need to chase the game from the first minute, you should impose yourself, absolutely, but you don't need to bum-rush. Be patient. Well, they do play with the back three, so so yeah, the the the back three may be more suitable than I believe it would was for the Croatia game, but yeah, that's that's another that's not a debate. um Finally, just before we finish off with a couple of club club talking points, I just want to lay out what the route to the final is now and without looking too far ahead. But um I think this this this is interesting because we are now in the bottom half of the draw and we play Switzerland in the last 16. But on the top half of the draw, Spain, Germany and Portugal, which means Italy can't play any of them until the final,
01:09:09
Speaker
France are currently also on the top half of the draw, although we've been recording this before France play. and If france France win against Poland and better Holland score, which I think they should do, then they will be on our side, which means we could play them in the semis. But if they come second, as they are currently, they will go on the other half too. And England, again, recording this before the England game, England will be ah ah will be are probably our quarter final opponent, if they win the group, which you expect them to do. Against Slovenia they've got. Yeah. So if England beats Slovenia, they will come top of their group and then they will play a best third place team, which will almost certainly be either Austria,
01:09:50
Speaker
Austria or Holland or Romania, Belgium, Slovakia will be one of those. So basically, Italy will play Switzerland in the last 16. If we get through that, we will play the winner of Group C, which is probably England or or a best third place team that will play against the winner of Group C, which will be, as I said, Austria or Holland or Romania, Belgium, Slovakia. um So I think we can safely count that, the way I see it, France and England are in the quarterfinals already. like That's just how I view it. Well, not necessarily, because if England play Austria or Holland, which is there's about a 50-50 chance at the moment, whether they play Austria-Holland or whether they play Romania-Belgium. We clear it after tonight, who who who the best third players are. If they play Austria-Holland,
01:10:36
Speaker
That's not an easy game for England, the way England are playing. But I agree with you on France. On France, I agree with you. But so yeah, that's that's not easy. But what basically the point I'm making is that as bad as we've been, um you know it could potentially open up a little bit for us, I think. But again, it depends on the results. You know what the title of this pod should be? It should be Carlo clutching for straws. Yes, can we not do that? Can we not do that? This has been 71 minutes of you clutching at straws. Stop it. Let it go. If England have got a bite to the semi finals for like the last three tournaments. So it's a cop we have a bite with a bad team and get like a bite to the semi squad.
01:11:21
Speaker
No, no, listen, just get past Switzerland. Yeah, let's worry about Switzerland first. yeah And exit with a grace because England against Italy in the quarterfinals, I'm not looking forward to that. yeah looking forward to that yeah that is going to be some I am not looking forward to that like at all. um so And if Spaletti is going to continue his war against i don't know the the demons in his head and and you know this obsession
01:11:55
Speaker
Oh, who's leaking and whoever's leaking doesn't want the national team to do well, and all the nonsense that he... Someone needs to find his medicine. and They need to call Beppe Marotta and ask him what the correct mixture of the medicine is, so they get because he seems to be the mad person whisper. I feel a little bit sorry for Spelletti as well. I have to be honest. I can understand it. I can understand it to a bit. I think the pressure is getting to him and he needs to behave. He needs to not let the pressure get into him, at least publicly, because I don't think the good comes out of that. But I do feel sorry for him because I look at the squad, the players he has available to him and he's getting it in the net from people. And I feel like to an extent, it's like, what the hell can he do with these players? Listen, I agree with that. I'm not talking about that. I'm talking about how you communicate.
01:12:44
Speaker
I have no problems with people getting angry, okay? But you have to be able to communicate why you're angry. A 22 minute stream of consciousness, incoherent word salad, where literally no one in any language understands what the actual F you're talking about, where people wondering if you're drunk, then that's not a good way to communicate. That's what I'm talking about. Antonio Conte used to get pissed that could wake up and the wig didn't sit right and just have a meltdown. But at least he could at least speak in somewhat coherent sentences. Spalletti was just unhinged and and was all over the place. OK, listen, we have to move on.
Juventus' Midfield Changes & Financial Strategy
01:13:25
Speaker
We have to move on. Just just before we finish off at Baggio Premface and Sadias of the week, ah just a couple of bit we have to we have to go really quickly on this, Nima, because we just don't have time. But Juventus' midfield revolution goes on. and Douglas Louise ah is ah is it it going to be confirmed. It's going to be official the next day or day or two.
01:13:42
Speaker
and Douglas Louise will come in and from Aston Villa for 20 plus, 25 million-ish money, plus Illing Jr. and Barranechea the other way. But Uintas are working on two other Mythical Transfers Coupe miners that we know about. They're still in talks about Atlanta. Could be another party exchange on the cards. ah and But they are also now in talks with Nice to sign Keflyn Taran, the brother of Inter Attacker Marcus, the son of Juventus, France legend Lillian Turan. He's sent to midfield, his contract runs out in 2025, he's available for just 15 to 20 million odd. Could be another possible swap, Milik or maybe Keene could go the other way. He did have a bad last season but he's a big talent and he will probably, if he comes, he would be a replacement for Rabio who
01:14:27
Speaker
who looks like he's probably going to leave now, and Juventus probably saved money on it, as well as Rabio's asking for nine million a year wage net and Taram's on about two million a year wage. So if you add that, if you work that out over the course of the contract, the mortise and the transfer fee, blah, blah, blah, it was, yeah, it ended up being a pretty good deal for Juventus. So Juventus are revolutionising the midfield and starting to build quite nicely.
01:14:57
Speaker
Yes, yes, um it is. um ah
01:15:05
Speaker
i still want to I still think this um this Mercato is is a little bit in its embryo stage, isn't it? I mean, we're seeing lots of talk. There's things heating up. um I think just ah just a comment on that deal. I think, God, you know, Aston Villa, Aston Villa, God bless them for not taking Western McKinney. Like that would have been a disaster for them. It's bad for you, but for me, Baran Echea and getting Baran Echea and Samuel Elling Junior is very smart business. I think this is a deal where everybody
01:15:40
Speaker
is is stands to be a winner. Um, I think Luis will be great for you. over Um, I think Samuel Elling junior and but in a chair could potentially do really well. I think but in a chair could potentially be, um, you know, in a few years, we might see him play for Argentina. Yeah. I really rate the guy. He didn't really want to get rid of him, but McKinney, McKinney messed that all up. Yeah. So I think this is a good deal for everyone. I read, you know, how much I rate unai Emery. I think he's a very tactically solid manager. I think he's a very, he's good at improving players. And I really like this youth project Aston Villa have got on. They're also being linked to Michael Coyote of Fiorentina. Yeah. So look, Aston Villa could be ah the little Serie A team to watch next year. um Yeah. Well, they've but they've been hurt by this. this ah I keep forgetting the name of it now. I i keep forgetting it too. I want to say everything, but it's not sustainability PSR.
01:16:33
Speaker
Yes, which means that we've had loads of swap deals. I want to discuss this on another show. The number of swap deals this summer is insane. It's just plus Valenza on steroids.
Inter's Transfer Rumors & Financial Implications
01:16:42
Speaker
It's so blatant as well. But we'll discuss that in another show. There's going to be a lot of swap deals this summer. call it a multiple sources by Munich are set to make a bid for the hack and channel group but he has in the last few hours Nima publicly stated quite clearly that he's happy and so wants to stay and he's annoyed and I can understand why he's annoyed he's there playing a tournament and you know people are saying you know I saw some I don't want to name names in the Italian media but some of the stuff I've seen in the last 48 hours
01:17:15
Speaker
is just completely off the rails. Essentially saying things like, well, Chala Nogli has been known for betraying people, wink, wink, hint, hint. And so of course he'll do it again. And he just went out and said, look, I haven't done anything here. I'm playing a Euros. Stop talking about me. um I want to stay at Inter. I'm happy at Inter. Leave me alone. you know keep Keep my name out your mouth. And it's just, look, I i have no doubt that Cela Noglou would relish at the chance of playing a Bayern Munich. Of course he would. Who wouldn't?
01:17:53
Speaker
You know, he's 30 years old. it's He can get a huge big money offer and and play for Bayern Munich. I mean, he he was, you know, he's raised in Germany. So, you know, it's it's playing, you know, being, if you're from Germany, playing for Bayern Munich is like, if you're an Italian and play for Inter, you have a Milan or a Spanish play for Real Madrid, Bayern, Barcelona, right? it's it's It's a huge thing. But he's not going to burn his bridges with Inter. And I think that's what that statement is, is basically saying, look, I haven't asked for a move, I'm happy at Inter, I still think there's things to do at Inter, leave me alone, let me play my Euros, stop talking about me to stop trying to destabilize me. And that I think was very good that he did that.
01:18:35
Speaker
i think because he he doesn't i mean he has to return, if Bayern Munich don't pay 70 million or 60 million, Inter won't sell, and then he has to return to Inter, and then they'll get up to questions. But if they do put in a 60-70 million, from Inter's point of view, forget Chalonogli's point of view, which ah which I agree with, and do you sell? Yes. You can't see yeah that. I'm sorry. 30 years old. yeah He's 30 years old. He came on a free transfer. the If we're talking about plus valenza, look, if you're talking about capital gains, 69 million, plus valenza, like a 69 million Euro capital gains, Inc. are in no position to turn that down. None.
01:19:18
Speaker
Um, I don't think any Italian club is in any position to turn that down, to be perfectly honest. But, um, but I don't, you know, I think basically when Shallon Ugly did this, his base is is his way of saying, stop it. I'm playing a tournament, stop inventing things. If there is something concrete, we'll talk about it then. Um, so I don't, you know, I think it was important that he did that. And I think again, it just goes to show how, Beppe Marotta is so good at being in charge of a group of footballers at club level to keep everyone happy and keep the club happy, keep the players happy.
01:19:58
Speaker
and create an environment where everyone feels responsible for themselves and
Tributes & Humorous Moments
01:20:03
Speaker
the group. um Otherwise I don't see why Chanan Ogdu would come out and say this. um So you know it's it's this it's a difficult job being a sporting director and you have to be very good at handling people, you have to be good at Being diplomatic in Beppe Marotta is probably the best diplomat. Well, there's no doubt but there's no doubt about that. Who's the best? um Right, let's finish off with Premface, Badjo and Seria Ass of the Week. So, Badjo of the Week can only be one man. Zakanyi, Nima, has to be. Yeah, it has to be. that's that's That's a wonderful finish, isn't it? I mean, come on. like It's so funny too that, you know, he talks about ah Del Piero being his idol as a kid and and then he goes and does that. does And he also sort of celebrated just like Del Piero. Del Piero kind of originally ran off to the left-hand side, then turned around and run to the right-hand side and celebrated. instead of it was almost it was almost identical celebration as well. um Also want to give out a shout out to Modric as well, which who's probably played his final game ever ah for Croatia and just what a career and what a player.
01:21:07
Speaker
Fantastic. And prim face of the week. I've got a few here. I've got quite a few as well. Okay, I'll go. So I go first. So I've got in a lara luco, who is a former as a former, she written former Juventus player, Juventus women's player, England, former England attacker, and she's now a pundit on I think is it the it is it it she's she's she's horrendous like one of the worst pundits I've ever seen just awful and she called um she was the pundit on the Slovakia Slovakia game and I can't remember who they were playing but she called them Slovenia throughout the basically the entire broadcast that's number one ah number two this was a hilarious video so it was Belgium after they lost their opening game
01:22:03
Speaker
um And an English journalist is asking Amadou Onana, and he's calling him out in the mix zone, and he's calling him Andre Onana. And Onana, this is amazing, he just switches instantly from like a French accent, he's speaking in French, to like the mo thickest kind of like top boy London i' good accent, just like that, like in an instant, bang, like, French to just a, oh, it was hilarious. He's like, my name's not Andre mate. It's amazing. So that's number two. Andre Anana. How can they call him Andre Anana? Yeah, there's so much. Was it David Moyse? Someone sent me David Moyse.
01:22:49
Speaker
saying that Scotland are out because the weather's cold and there's not many, they don't have a big population. It's just made me fall off to my like, you do realize Sweden exists, right? You do realize. like Yeah. Well, it was like there would what that happened during the England game against Denmark as well. that the The commentators were were blaming the heat. It was too hot. And then they said that was that was that was ah that was a big reason. I'm just thinking, how many hours of daylight does Denmark have? like i mean no but it's like it's not that yeah but yeah it's i mean They have more climate on on par with Germany, but it's not exactly it's not exactly a Caribbean climate. no
01:23:28
Speaker
like it's It's just nonsense.
Cultural Issues in Italian Football & Media
01:23:31
Speaker
It's just tired. all yeah The other one was Clinton Morrison, who I like, by the way. i'd yeahve I've been on a show with him before, but Clinton Morrison on the BBC half side of the Slovakia versus Ukraine game, which at the time was one nil to Slovakia at half time. And Clinton Morrison said that Francesco Calzona, the who is, of course, the Slovakia coach, he said that Calzona needs to wait 10 to 15 minutes before making a ah change to try and turn around the match. ca say He's obviously the Slovakia coach. He thought he was be great he thought it was the u Ukraine coach.
01:24:06
Speaker
yeah now it's um it's ah there There was also one, I'm not sure, I can't remember who he was who sent this to us on Instagram, sorry for forgetting your name, but um of forgetting who he was, but one of the best things, I think, um Michael Richards mispronounced Baletti's name on BBC, I've seen the video. Call him Spaghetti, I heard it. I heard it, yes, I heard it. which I think is adorable. It's like, that's, that's just funny. Cause that can, I mean, hes he obviously knows his name. isn't To be fair, I like, I like my creatures. He's always, like he's always defending Italy on the, on, um, you know, on the BBC. He's always defending him. i always because He's absolutely loves Bastoni. He literally never stops talking about Bastoni. Absolutely adores it. He's, he's, ah he's all right. He's, he's, he's actually one of the good ones, um, uh, Michael Richards. So we'll, we'll let him off. and for but yeah And one is from a Swedish outlet.
01:25:01
Speaker
uh prim face because it's one thing to say something on tv but how you write an article where you take a buzzsaw and a hatchet to chvicha kvara trelya's name how do you misspell chvicha kvara trelya everyone knows how to spell that but they spelt it c h v i t j a okay chvicha and Carathelia without the K-H, but an S-C-H. like how the like Do you not have Google in Stockholm? like it's just I don't know, what how do you misspell names like that? that that's just It's one thing to say things wrong on TV, whatever, it's live TV, but to write an article and have an editor approve that before publishing live, it's just wow.
01:25:52
Speaker
that That was just like, it wasn't just one little typo either. It was just a butcher. They just butchered the guy's name. Weird. um But yeah. Yeah, plenty of prim face this week. And finally, Celia Ass of the Week. Do you want to take this one away? Yeah, I'll take this one. Okay, so basically, the reason um' ah the reason I've chosen this as the Celia Ass of the Week is because I want to contextualize for people to understand what class of people run things in Italy, whether it's politics, whether it's football, and why, when they do their social um social cause campaigns, it always ends up falling flat on its face, like with anti-racism campaigns with the chimpanzees.
01:26:39
Speaker
And what like I want to I want people to understand and that's why I've picked this. So there's a show on set. I think it's called la sette, which is a private channel owned by Torino, President Urbano, Cairo, Cairo communications. Right. There's a there's there's a show there called um I think it's called Larry Akitira. Right. It's a talk show. And they um So recently, the Pope um was recorded in a private conversation using homophobic slur. He apologized and so on, right? And they and then he moved on and and that's the end of it. But of course, these guys can't leave it alone. And now it's Pride Month as well. So they brought on Corado Algias, who is a journalist, writer and TV host, who is a member of the
01:27:29
Speaker
European Parliament for the liberal left party. Okay. This guy's a liberal lefty. And so he decided to use the the the phrase that, okay, I'm not making this up. All right. He decided to take the phrase that the Pope used, which was for charge, you know, okay. Which means. which means fagggoness kind of faggot faggotty stuff. fat yeah yeah but that's thats that's you know he you know he He apologized for it, let's move on. right But the the the thing that has really that's just unbelievable here, and and again, this actually happened, is that
01:28:09
Speaker
Algiers, he decided to to to, on TV, dissect linguistically, in five languages, what this means and decide whether or not it actually is homophobic or not. So he's got Spanish there, mariconéo. He's got French, tapet, German, schwulheit, English, faggotness. And I have to say, it's the first time I've ever heard the word faggotness in my life. um And then he's got Portuguese, they're brazilian the Brazilian flag for some reason, and it says, Echeso de Bicias. Now, the problem with this is that I've asked two people who speak Portuguese fluently. One is a native Portuguese speaker and one who is kind of a port native Portuguese speaker, Patrick Kendrick, and he said,
01:28:57
Speaker
That's a nonsense because exeso de bishas, they've Google translated it. It literally means an x excess and x of queers or too many queers. It does not mean. So not only have they sat there and taught people how to use homophobic slurs in five languages, they've not even done it properly.
01:29:17
Speaker
This is like, I don't know how many times I've watched this clip and the discussion is gold in and of itself. like where where he's going, no, this word is derogatory. It's it's not disparages. I mean, it's just, it's not, it's about four minutes of the most unhinged, insane, incoherent, like crazy rambling of homophobic slurs on TV to celebrate, I guess, Pride Month. I love how the Italians. And to whitewash what the Pope said, something he already apologized for. and say I love how Italians like,
01:29:56
Speaker
they they They teach everyone how to how to insult certain groups. Do you remember the one Italian football did on, was it Gypsy? What was the Gypsy one that they did? What was the what was the slogan that they used? it was Yeah, don't don't call me Gypsy. I'm sorry for laughing. But it's insane. It's like I would have killed to be at the Redazione before that, going, you know, progressive Paolo turns up again and says, you know, guys, I've got it. I've not had to save the Pope and legislat they just take care like I said, this goes through multiple layers before it gets on to actual TV. It becomes like what it is. And it's still so the reason I decided this is because I want people to I wanted to contextualize for people why these things look the way they do.
01:30:44
Speaker
at the upper echelons of the FIGC. This is the class of people who run things. They think this is a good idea. And in turn, it became, to to quote a friend of mine who's Italian, lives in Italy, he said, this country is so backwards, we actually live in the future. When I sent him that clip, and I started laughing, I was like, yeah, that's, that's yeah. no that i'm go It was just absolutely crazy. um and And it just goes on and on and on and on. and and And for me, my favorite part is the infographic with the flags and the quotes um of of of the words that they've used Google Translate to to to two to to translate. They're not even done that properly. like Do you see what I'm saying? like They haven't even done that part properly. You could have researched at least what it means.
01:31:33
Speaker
gayness. And it's it's gayness, not faggotness. I've never heard faggotness in my life. I don't even know what that means. Like they just invent things. They didn't even do it properly. They're lazy as well, which is just, it's a nonsense. And and it's just, ah it's just comedy. It's just your comedy. Incredible.
Conclusion & Hopes for Switzerland Match
01:31:48
Speaker
all pure let's listen Let's leave it that um big show for you today. and We will have have more stuff before the before the game on on Saturday and we're working on on some other content. um But yeah, enjoy the rest of the weeks. Enjoy the, I was going to say the win, that the draw, that the last gasp equalizer from Tekangi. Let's enjoy it. We're still in the tournament. Adjust.
01:32:16
Speaker
And yeah, let's look ahead to the Switzerland game and let's hope that we can ah actually get a win and keep it going then. So thanks everyone for listening and have a great week. Ciao ciao.