Luciano Spalletti, Getty Images October 14, 2024, 08:25

In the fourth round of the UEFA Nations League, the Italian national team will play a home match against Israel.

On the eve of the game, the head coach of “Squadra Azzurri” Luciano Spalletti talked to journalists.

“I had a great time in Udine at some point in my career, so I’m happy to play in this stadium again. The opponent is a good team, so it will be a tough game.

They showed us in the first match that they know how to play football, so we will have to be careful and balanced. We will choose the best possible tactics for this match.

Our team is working hard and is on the right path of self-sacrifice and commitment to the national team jersey. These are the guys who are showing us good results.

The difficulty is that any growth is never easy. You have to know how to always give your best and know that one episode can change everything.

How well do we know Israel? We know him perfectly. There are 2-3 very strong players that we also paid attention to during the analysis in the video. They know how to play football and have important technical qualities in midfield.

I hope the team can take control of the game.

Opponents are a team that sometimes waits with a low block, while sometimes they can seize the initiative themselves. We will have to interpret their positioning correctly. We have to be able to have a certain advantage on the ball without stopping and without giving the opponents a chance to catch their breath.

Will Vicario play? Yes, he will play. Could this match be an opportunity for Fagioli? Fagioli is a player who deserves space because he works hard and knows how to play football. But I will decide on the placement of the players only tomorrow. Can he play in pairs with Ricci? Yes, they can play together. They both know how to play in the central midfield position.

One of the things we can improve on is understanding that sometimes the episodes can override the quality of the game, the teamwork and everything that you’ve directed properly. We should know that there is such a risk. We have to be prepared for what positive qualities the opponents have, and there are indeed a lot of them.

They have technical players in midfield, they have dribbling, so there is a risk of conceding through their quality performers. Roughly speaking, it’s one thing to think about being organized. But there is also a tight schedule between matches. We still have more than 24 hours, so we continue to monitor the situation.

I had a wonderful time in Udine, so I will be happy to come back here. It was a place that developed me in all aspects, both from the sports and from the human side. It is a very civilized city with good people. I have many friends who will come to the stadium tomorrow to watch the game.

Ultras? I don’t have to explain anything to anyone, I’ll just answer questions about how I behave in certain situations.

You, as a fan with a position, go to the match hoping to convince someone else, because I think there are many Israelis who don’t want war, and we have to convince someone else that this is what has to end,” the Italian said. specialist.

The match between Italy and Israel will take place on October 14 at 9:45 p.m.