Europeans, Antonio Conte: “Italy knows how to do everything, against England without fear”

Italy reached the final with full merit. Because she proved to be more complete than any opponent encountered and capable of handling different game situations, both in possession and in non-possession phase. Always trying to keep his own idea, identity and style, but also knowing how to adapt to the physical, technical and tactical qualities of the opponents, to find the best way to obtain the maximum result.

At times he dominated, at other times he showed resilience, character and spirit of sacrifice by enhancing collective and individual qualities. Mancini’s great merit is having given the team so much knowledge that the players show they have memorized. Our coach must be proud of it. A match can be won or lost even for episodes, but those who study football know how much work is behind it and the long streak of positive results and the arrival at this European final have deep roots. Our football on the other hand has always been made up of study, application and knowledge. There will be a reason why we almost always go all the way in big tournaments. Italy remains a guarantee. Our story says it.

Spanish possession

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I have always had a great respect for Luis Enrique, as a technician and man, for his values ​​and his stubbornness. It is starting a new cycle in the wake of the Spanish football tradition, with many very talented young people. They certainly had an excellent tournament. But my opinion on Spain’s match against Italy is less enthusiastic than many others I’ve read or listened to. There has been a lot of talk about their possession and domination of the game. But what is meant by domination of the game and what should it bring? As I understand it, it must lead to scoring actions and dangerous situations for the opponents. And from this point of view, the Spanish domination against Italy was not so evident. If ball possession does not find outlets in verticalizations towards the opponent’s goal or creates one-on-one on the outside, it does not generate dangers and becomes sterile. Beyond the percentages on possession, it becomes essential to look at the danger index of a team. Because you can keep the ball as long as you want, but if you don’t create, don’t shoot and don’t score, you don’t win.

The neighbour’s grass

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Often in Italy we see the grass of the neighbor greener than ours. But it’s not always like this. The Italian coaches are among the best, most complete and best prepared in the world. And they know how to transfer their knowledge: the construction of the game from below, the exploitation of the dribble with the aim of verticalizing the game and, for several years now, also making an ultra offensive pressing, leaving the one-on-one defensive phase. But at the same time, when needed, we know how to lower ourselves, close spaces, occupy our half of the pitch, defend ourselves, start again. In football to win you have to know how to do everything, based on the moments of the match. If you’re only good at one thing, it’s not always good enough. Our players have been trained to manage all the different phases of the game. There are times in which to press high, others in which to be under the ball on the frontline, still others in your own half. Sometimes you are forced to do it by the opponent, but often they are chosen to hit him, make him open, exploit the spaces, sink into his weak points. Often the term restart is used simplistically to describe an offensive action. The latter is there only and exclusively when you do not have possession of the ball and you steal it from others. If, on the other hand, you have the ball, it is never restart, but construction of the game that can start from the goalkeeper and the defense, from the midfield or in the opposing half of the field if the opponents defend low.

The three moments in the two phases

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In modern football a coach must teach his team the three moments in the two phases of possession and non-possession. And the players, in turn, must understand when to put them into practice during a match. The possession phase includes three types of game construction: starting from the bottom; intermediate; in the opposing half with their team lined up with all the effective. Non-possession, on the other hand, includes: ultra-offensive pressure; an intermediate; the occupation of space in one’s own half. Our national team has shown that it knows all these phases. For this we are complete. The match against Spain shouldn’t leave us feeling lucky, but it should strengthen us because we have shown that we know how to do more than they do. Of course, knowledge alone is not enough to win, a lot depends on the quality of the players that each team has at its disposal. In the past, we weren’t too predisposed to high blood pressure because we felt the risks were greater than the benefits. But today we have improved a lot in this too. Italy is a tough nut to crack because you almost never find it unprepared, it leaves you no space, it always forces you to a complicated solution.

That wall behind

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With all due respect to all the other players, Italy’s strength today is represented by the trio Donnarumma-Bonucci-Chiellini. The three of them together give safety to the whole team. I consider Donnarumma one of the three best goalkeepers in the world: decisive in goal, courageous in his exits and skilled with his feet. And of Bonucci and Chiellini, what to say? Despite a thousand battles, they still smell the blood. Winning mentality, experience, character, strength. In the management of the moments they are two absolute top players in the role.

It is useless to change

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It is debated whether it is appropriate to make changes to the training or to change modules. Mancini does not need any suggestions, but at this point I would not see why. There are mechanisms that work and in the national team there is no time to study many alternatives. The team is found with this arrangement. I do not agree with the criticisms of Immobile, he does a dirty job, he always disturbs the two central opponents, he attacks space. Beyond the goals, his teammates take advantage of their work. The idea of ​​a false nine for Italy does not seem appropriate to me. Insigne does not have those characteristics, it would be distorted. And we would find ourselves with few references in the opposing area.

Respect, not fear

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England are a strong team, with lots of arrows in their bow. On the outside they are dangerous, because unlike Spain which tended to spin the ball but came back, they always aim you in one on one. Dribbling, cuts and overlaps: there is not only Sterling but also Saka, Foden, Sancho, Grealish. And then of course Harry Kane. Many praise his ability to go get the ball and play with the team. As in the occasion of the pocketing in the equalizer against Denmark. Yes, of course, very good at that too, but it is in the middle of the area that he is very strong, a sniper and I would always keep him there as a technician, because he can be devastating. In the middle of the field they have two very physical midfielders like Rice and Phillips, players of leg who give balance, but they do not verticalize, often looking for the simplest passage. One of their weak points? If the defense is pressed into the construction from behind they are less good than Spain at evading the opponent’s pressing. But if you go to get them with an ultra offensive pressure then, if they come out, you have to be careful with their arrows in front. And we return to the discourse of knowing how to read the moments during the game by the players.

Wembley effect

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England has been waiting for this match for a lifetime. They have never won the European Championships and their only World Cup triumph is in 1966. Wembley’s help can be a huge boost but also a drag, because the players could feel the pressure. When they fell behind with Denmark they showed some emotional difficulty, as well as at the start of the second overtime for fear that the target at hand might vanish. We will have less support in the stands, but more experience than them on the pitch. We know what it means to play in the finals. And we also know how they are won.