A sigh of relief for Mancini
Italy’s season ends with a 3-2 victory over the Netherlands and a third place in the Nations League (which is little comfort Robert Mancini. In anticipation of the key matches towards the European Championship in September, the blue coach returns from the final four in Enschede with fairly clear indications: the leap in quality of his new national team has not yet taken place, as demonstrated by the knockout with Spain, but the ‘arrows’ on the blue arc, to use the coach’s own words, are different. And they trace the trajectory of the future. This says, after all, even final against the orange, won with a little ‘anxiety in spite of the initial margin. Brilliant first half, second of suffering, exactly like three days ago with the Spain; the difference is all in the opponent, a not very concrete Holland. As for the player base, Frattesi is now a certainty, Retegui and the newcomer Buongiorno are able to enter the field on a permanent basis, Dimarco a new point of reference. Chiesa will be reassured by the goal found after two years.
Of course, the suffering of the second half and the final minutes, as well as the evident tiredness of some Azzurri, is the result of a lack of solidity from a consolidated team. The new Italy, the definitive one, is still to be shaped. To be on the safe side, after Thursday’s module change Robert Mancini back to 4-3-3, mirroring the Dutch structure on the occasion; and given the specific weight of the glider, it allows itself to some individual tests. In defense, Buongiorno, the 24-year-old defender launched by Juric in Toro, makes his debut. In attack, with Retegui there are Raspadori and Gnonto. The confirmation in midfield of Frattesi, the best of the Azzurri against Spain, was taken for granted. The Netherlands, which Koeman lines up with a large part of the starters, sets off in search of the pace to impose and tries to worry Donnarumma with a header from Van Dijk after a handful of minutes. But this time the lightning goal came from the Azzurri, and it came from a nice cross from Frattesi from the right, a scissor kick from Retegui and the intuition of Raspadori, who in the area touches with his sole for Dimarco’s run from behind: left footed volley on the opposite post, and in the 6th minute it’s already 1-0. The match goes downhill, Italy takes advantage of the momentum.
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