According to La Stampa, there are no longer any obstacles to the appointment of Andrea Pirlo as Italy’s head coach. Pirlo would be ready to leave his role as ambassador for the betting agency that operates mainly in Russia, an issue that had sparked controversy in recent hours after Guardiola declined Maldini‘s proposal. The connection with Putin’s Russia had drawn criticism from various political figures, given Italy’s lack of support for the country in the war against Ukraine.
The Turin newspaper also anticipates the possible tactical choices of the coach, hypothesizing a 4-4-2 in which Alessandro Bastoni would not be among the starters. In defense, there would be room for Palestra on the right and Calafiori on the left, with Ahanor and Leoni as center-backs. In midfield, Koleosho, Barella, Tonali, and Dimarco would play, while in attack the starting spot would go to Pio Esposito alongside Inacio.
According to La Stampa, Pirlo has always envisioned a proactive style of football, based on ball possession to attack. Strongly inspired by the Spanish school of Barcelona under Crujiff and Guardiola, the coach proposes a “liquid” football where roles are less defined and players dynamically change their play, attitude, and functions depending on the moment of the match. The example cited is precisely Calafiori.
The coach strongly believes in young players, as demonstrated with Kulusevski at Juventus or Leoni launched at Sampdoria. Now he can draw from the Azzurri youth academy, where there are talents like Koleosho and Inacio. The idea is to have many offensive players, including attacking midfielders and wingers, with a striker like Pio Esposito capable of combining intelligence and technique to facilitate the runs of his teammates.
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