Spalletti: ‘Italy red card goes beyond tactics and planning’ | OneFootball

Luciano Spalletti feels the 2-2 draw with Belgium was decided by a Lorenzo Pellegrini red card that goes ‘beyond tactics and planning,’ but tried to focus on the positives for Italy.

The Azzurri had the perfect start and it was all going so smoothly at the Stadio Olimpico, as they had opened the scoring in the first minute with Andrea Cambiaso, who also saw his shot parried into the path of Mateo Retegui.

However, it all fell apart at the 38th minute when Lorenzo Pellegrini went into a late lunge on Arthur Theate, studs up on the ankle, earning a straight red card.

It was a very different game after that, as Belgium scored twice after set play routines with Maxim De Cuyper and Leandro Trossard.

Spalletti frustrated by Italy dismissal

“When there are incidents that change a game, then you concede a goal immediately afterwards, at times there are matches that are not decided by football, but things that go beyond tactics and planning,” Spalletti told RAI Sport.

“We had the possibility to dominate the second half too.”

Both Belgium goals ultimate came from set plays, the first a free kick and the second a corner.

“I was more upset by the way we lost the ball a few times, but unfortunately Belgium have these top players at taking men on down the wings. That forces you to double up the marking. We didn’t allow many chances from open play at all, but we suffered on set plays and also were a little unlucky.”

Despite this setback, the Nazionale remain top of their Nations League group on seven points, followed by France on six, Belgium four and Israel still zero.

“We saw the team play good football, show character, cover the ground well and do everything that we had seen in the two previous games,” continued Spalletti.

“We needed this confirmation that here too we were capable of taking our destiny in our hands and we had done it. We were doing it.”

The Azzurri are next in action on Monday evening at the Bluenergy Stadium in Udine against Israel, but Pellegrini will be suspended.