The Cult of Calcio
·16. November 2024
The Cult of Calcio
·16. November 2024
Sandro Tonali inspired Italy to an all-important 1-0 UEFA Nations League victory against Belgium last night at the King Baudouin Stadium. After the game, the Newcastle United midfielder addressed the media.
“We suffered, and we played. Our big change is that we approach every game,” the Italy superstar said, as reported by Gianluca Di Marzio. “Every training session does us good. Each of us can’t wait for the next camp to start. We enjoy ourselves on the field, and we’re in a good place off it as well.
“Every match is different, and today we were up against a very strong team. We looked for specific spaces. We kept it simple and stuck to what we do well.“
Italy stuttered at Euro 2024, failing to overcome the first knockout hurdle as Switzerland got the better of them. However, Luciano Spalletti has since steadied the ship, with Gli Azzurri enjoying a near-flawless Nations League campaign.
Except for a 2-2 home draw against Belgium in October, they’ve won all four remaining outings in Group A2 to secure a playoff berth with a game to spare. Italy will meet France at Stadio San Siro on Sunday night in the group’s top-table six-pointer.
Avoiding defeat would see them finish top of their Nations League group for the third cycle running following a stunning 3-1 comeback triumph in Paris on Matchday 1. The Italians have been outstanding thus far, scoring almost at will.
However, Italy were wasteful in Brussels during midweek, squandering several clear-cut chances.