Nations League: Three Key Takeaways on Italy After Their 3-1 Win Against France
Italy looked like a significantly improved team in their surprising 3-1 victory over France at the Parc des Princes on Friday night. This came after facing some tough matches under coach Luciano Spalletti in the European Championship and the summer against Germany.
Here are three key takeaways from Italy’s encouraging start to their new Nations League campaign:
1. Italy Looks Much Better Than in the Summer
The contrast is clear. Things seemed a bit worrying just 14 seconds into the game, but Italy took control before France equalized. Italy deservedly regained the lead when Matteo Retegui and Davide Frattesi combined just five minutes into the second half. Giacomo Raspadori then capped off an overall very encouraging performance.
Italy looked better in nearly every aspect compared to their performance at Euro 2024. Aside from an early slip, they were relatively strong defensively, and there was much more clarity in their attacking movements.
The summer performance left a bitter taste, but if Spalletti can get his team to play as they did in Paris consistently, the future looks bright.
2. Spalletti Has Mastered the Midfield, and Tonali Makes the Difference
Sandro Tonali had a very encouraging performance in his first appearance for Italy in almost a year. He brought a much-needed blend of strength and aggression off the ball and was back to his best with the ball too. Always looking to play forward and push ahead to create numerical advantages at times, Tonali is now a key player for the Italian squad.
Tonali played alongside Samuel Ricci, who put in a mature display in just his second appearance for the senior team. Frattesi was also impressive and fully deserved his goal. It wouldn’t be surprising to see Frattesi rested for the match against Israel on Monday, but it would be great to see Tonali and Ricci rewarded with another game after the weekend.
3. Stick to the Same System and Play to Their Strengths
Spalletti emphasized before Friday’s match that he would continue using a similar system going forward, making it clear that a back-three formation is now his preferred setup. With Alessandro Bastoni essentially a lock in defense, Riccardo Calafiori and Alessandro Buongiorno competing for the left side, and perhaps one day Giorgio Scalvini on the right, Italy will have a very strong defensive line.
The back-three system naturally benefits Federico Dimarco, who was excellent on Friday. His Inter teammates Nicolo Barella and Davide Frattesi are also used to playing in this system every week, and many of Atalanta’s strong group of Italian internationals are also familiar with similar tactical setups.
It’s simple, but having a stable system that players are comfortable with and that brings out their best can only help the national team as they approach World Cup qualifiers. Though it seems straightforward, this wasn’t always the case during the summer.