Mazzanti towards the World Cup: ‘Italy favored, but we like this pressure’

Click. He closes his suitcase and begins the most delicious part of a journey that actually began 5 months ago, towards a World Cup that has been missing for 20 years. Today Italy leaves for Arnhem (Holland) where they will play the first phase. “We did everything we set out to do – explains the Italian coach Davide Mazzanti -. Even from a physical point of view we followed the program we wanted, recovering those athletes who had had some complicated situations after the Nations League. Now we have 14 girls who are doing well. Including Elena Pietrini: maybe she has a few fewer games in her legs, but we can get her back into the match rhythm thanks to the first round. But she is ready too, she has trained six against six in the last few days. all the time to recover it at best “. Also because this is a marathon World Cup with 12 matches for the teams that reach the bottom. Almost the first round of a championship: “The formula is roughly similar to that of the 2018 World Cup, I think there is only one game of difference – continues Mazzanti -. In such a long tournament what will make the difference will be maintaining a level of strength adequate. So we have planned weight training sessions at the same time as the first phase, when the group is a little more diluted as a match schedule. So we can also carry out a workout in the gym to be at the top when we enter the hottest phase. ”

Expectations

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After the victories of the European Championship (2021) and Nations League (2022) it is clear that there are many expectations. “Actually, we don’t get any pressure from the outside. The engine of everything is what we expect from ourselves. Our path that we embarked on last year with the European Championship. We certainly feel the outline, a great expectation, but honestly not dirty and does not change the way we are preparing for the World Cup “, explains Davide Mazzanti. Also because Italy is the favorite or one of the big favorites. But according to the Italian coach this does not change the situation of the group. “This being favorites is something that we have earned and that we want to keep. We have been through it before and we have given even more value to these expectations that there are. We know perfectly well that when you are as the center of attention as we do, it is obvious. that when he faces you no one will give you discounts or give you anything. And therefore everything we want to conquer acquires even more value. This is the feeling we have today, after the path made by the European Championship to date. here in this moment and in these conditions “. Even if the landscape of opponents aiming for a medal is fierce. “There are many: the United States that changed something from last year’s Olympic gold, Serbia has added two heavy players compared to the podium they achieved in the Nations League. Brazil knows how to play these competitions here. bottom in every competition. China is another of those teams that especially in a one-off match can achieve any result: they remain a very dangerous group. Behind this band there are teams that play well and that can complicate your life a lot: Holland hosts, Turkey which is a loose cannon as we tested on our skin in the Naples tournament “. Another Italy tries after the feat of De Giorgi’s men. “That success doesn’t take away or add anything to our motivations. It was nice that they did this feat. They reminded me a lot of the experience we almost had four years (when Italy was silver behind Serbia, ed) “. Now there is only the desire to go to the field. “When you are at the gates of the competition you already begin to breathe that idea. And sometimes the desire to start shifts your attention a little from the present. The most important thing is to enjoy the journey day after day. It will be very long and we must take a good look at every step we take “.