The National Team starts again with Roberto Mancini after more than a thousand days and three head coaches. His second spell with the Azzurri appears more complex than the first, which was marked by the European triumph in 2021 but ended with the failure to qualify for the World Cup and his subsequent move to Saudi Arabia.
According to the Corriere della Sera, the new project should be based on a 4-3-3 or 4-2-3-1 formation, with at least one full-back ready to support the attacking play. The stated goal is a technical, courageous Italy capable of producing good football, without losing balance.
Gianluigi Donnarumma will be the main point of reference. Captain, leader, and protagonist of the European Championship victory, the goalkeeper represents the strongest link between the previous cycle and the one just begun. In midfield, Mancini will start again from Sandro Tonali, considered one of the most complete Italian midfielders for intensity, quality, and ability to make runs into the box.
Next to him, the best Nicolò Barella will be needed, indispensable for dynamism and experience. However, the coach’s priority will be to find a true playmaker, capable of controlling the tempo and bringing order to the play.
The big new feature will be Francesco Pio Esposito, identified as the striker of the future. The young forward will be joined by more experienced profiles such as Retegui and Kean. Mancini will also need to recover Federico Chiesa and expand the group with new talents, seeking immediate results in a particularly challenging Nations League.
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