Italy challenges Belgium, it’s a test of strength

Mancini: «Golden Ball to Jorginho». The coach and the joke on the Pandora Papers: “I’ll be on the bench or take the money who knows where”

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Let’s get rid of the final word that already at the World Cup is little more than a nuisance, let alone in this Nations League. So let’s take today’s match at the Stadium between Italy and Belgium (penalties are immediately tied in the event of a tie) as another step to climb, even more so after the Azzurri’s defeat against Spain, which interrupted the streak of 37 games without ever falling. . The first point is this, get up immediately so as not to lose points in the self-esteem item. In general, but also in particular since November 12 is around the corner and that Saturday, in Rome, we will play the world pass against Switzerland. Having experienced the bitter taste of defeat, we immediately have to cancel it. Belgium is another of the obstacles knocked down on the road to Wembley at Euro 2020, that evening in Monaco the national team probably played the best match of the tournament, the Chiellini-Lukaku duel, a spectacle within the show. From one Allianz to another many things change, Belgium will be without Lukaku and Hazard (absent even then) and the coach Martinez hopes that the spirit of Courtois (“a useless game” said the Belgian goalkeeper) does not infect the rest of the team. that in the event of a knockout he would lose the first place in the FIFA ranking in favor of Brazil.

Italy will also do without big guns, there will be no Bonucci (disqualified) and it may be that between Chiellini, Barella, Verratti, Insigne and Jorginho someone rests. In attack, greetings to the fake striker and welcome to Raspadori who, after the easy test with Lithuania, will raise the bar. With him Berardi and Chiesa to form another trident. Broken the ice with the defeat, the coach enjoys the five nominated for the Golden Ball and chooses his winner: «He has to go to Jorginho, he has won everything between club and national team. The opposite would seem strange to me ». He, the mind of the national team and Chelsea, is sitting next to the coach and says: «Dreaming big and small is the same, so it’s better to dream big. As I do”. If he will play it with Messi and Lewandowski and this already tells us how much he has become, then it is also possible that he will be watching after so much grinding balls and kilometers. Mancini does not offer advances, but makes it clear that we will see new faces: «Also to give some players the opportunity to prove their worth. Raspadori? He will play and he would have done it also with Spain if we weren’t ten. It has a great future, but don’t burden it with too many responsibilities ».

The future: this is what the coach is building and it is strange to say about a national champion of Europe: «These guys can play together for another 5-6 years, we have embarked on a beautiful path and we must continue it. I am proud of what they did in Milan, in ten there was the risk of conceding 4-5 goals, they were very good ». True, it means that this Italy never moves by chance, not even in sharp corners. The final curtain remains with the coach who, when asked about the Pandora Papers investigation relating to tax havens, where his name appeared along with Vialli, replies with a joke: “I don’t know if tomorrow I’ll be on the bench or bring the money who knows where” . An answer would have been enough. –