Tomorrow against Lithuania we need a win and Mancini thinks about the false nine. Verratti and Pellegrini, injured, return home
COVERCIANO (Florence). Zaniolo false nine. Indeed, Church. Sometimes Insigne. The whirlwind of positions at the center of Italy’s attack in the last half hour of the match in Switzerland tells more clearly than any number the real difficulty of post-European Italy: the scoring pain. “We play well but the ball does not enter: let those who say that the spell is over speak, we believe in this Italy, you don’t.” Jorginho says the day after Basel’s 0-0.
The mistake from the spot, with that too soft shot saved by Sommer, «hurts», confesses the Italian-Brazilian, «because it came at an important moment and could unlock the game we deserved to win». So instead, given the absolute need to take the first post-European success against Lithuania, Roberto Mancini must begin to use the world abacus to calculate the possibilities and risks of the world qualification, and avoid the playoff. In his group, C, Italy is first at 11 points, 4 more than Switzerland which, however, has two fewer games: they are those against Bulgaria, in which the Azzurri have collected 4 points. If the Swiss win all their matches, Italy will have to do the same and beat Switzerland at the Olympic stadium in Rome on 12 November.
But there is the unknown factor of the trip to Northern Ireland in Belfast, which Mancini’s opponents will face on Wednesday and the Azzurri in the last round, on November 15th. “You will see, we beat Switzerland and we pass,” reassured the coach, who was actually visibly disappointed by the difficulty of his national team to score goals.
Throughout the first half, Roberto Mancini talked with a building in difficulty, trying to explain to him how to take advantage of the slowness of the two central defensive units of Switzerland. But it is not only the double version of the Lazio center forward – prolific with the club, dry in blue – to explain the sore point: after all, Berardi wasted the most tempting opportunity, as well as Jorginho.
For Lithuania, in any case, there is a risk that the coach will have to ask the top scorer of the league a little overtime. The changes are scheduled, “because the boys are tired” after two games at the beginning of the season, and Verratti (for him there will still be Locatelli) and Pellegrini have already returned. But in attack, apart from Raspadori and Kean, the exchanges are few, to find the missing goal against Lithuania.
“Football is like this: we play well, the ball does not enter, but there is no answer – says Jorginho – At this moment we must not throw ourselves down, but remain lucid and believe in ourselves: you certainly will not do it in place our”. Now there is the last one in September, tomorrow in Reggio Emilia against Lithuania, to rekindle that European magic.