Spalletti thinks knockouts can kickstart Italy joy at EURO 2024 | OneFootball

Luciano Spalletti believes Italy will start to ‘relax’ into EURO 2024 with the knockout round against Switzerland, because ‘there are no calculations or permutations, we have to win, but we must do better than we’ve seen so far.’

This Round of 16 tie kicks off at the Olympiastadion in Berlin on Saturday at 17.00 UK time (16.00 GMT).

It was in this stadium that Italy won the 2006 World Cup, beating France on penalties in the Final after Zinedine Zidane was sent off for head-butting Marco Materazzi.

“Everyone remembers that moment in Berlin, but we had Gigi Buffon with us on the bus and he talked to all of us about that situation, helping us to experience what we had only seen from home. We know there is this confrontation to be honoured, that we must be at the level of those players who brought home the trophy in this stadium,” said Spalletti in his press conference.

“We have the responsibility of knowing we have fans all over the world. Even if against Albania and Croatia we were in the minority in the stadium, we knew that all our fans were there in front of their televisions pushing us on. We can feel it anyway, even if they are not physically present.”

The Azzurri squeezed through the group stage with a 2-1 win over Albania, 1-0 defeat to Spain and last-gasp 1-1 draw with Croatia decided by substitute Mattia Zaccagni at the 98th minute. Does Spalletti think the fans would be proud of this team yet?

“In order to make them proud, we must do better than we’ve seen so far. We had this difficult group and you could tell the pressure was on the players, and on me. Now we are through this group, I expect to see the team more relaxed, because you cannot make calculations in a knockout round, the kind of mindset that can affect your performance in the group phase.

“We will only go through if we win this game, otherwise we won’t, so we need to focus like that. There are no permutations.”

Spalletti admits Italy ‘potential only in flashes’

They only needed a draw against Croatia, but that arrived at the 98th minute with Mattia Zaccagni’s curler, when there were only seven seconds left on the clock.

“We have not managed to show all our potential so far, or rather only managed to show it in flashes. We deserved to quality, even with a goal at the last minute, but we need to make a step up in terms of character.”

Spalletti hinted that he will start Juventus midfielder Nicolò Fagioli rather than Jorginho tomorrow, while Federico Dimarco is injured and Riccardo Calafiori suspended. Is there a new generation of talented Italy players coming through?

“There are many lads pushing to come through and we must create the right space and have the courage to let them play. Football has changed a little, where it is less about individual moments, but that is still the best solution to create high-quality football. When you can take men on, or make that illuminating pass, that is the solution to any tactical situation.”

Spalletti won the Scudetto at Napoli, so did he congratulate Kvicha Kvaratskhelia on reaching the Round of 16 with Georgia?

“I am in contact with many of my ex-players, Kvicha is one of them. We exchanged congratulations and compliments for going through. He is a player who very few knew before, but now everyone has been able to admire him. He is at the top level, can play against any opponent and any team.”