Cambiaso defends Italy display in defeat vs France: “We recovered from Euro 2024 disappointment” | OneFootball

Juventus fullback Andrea Cambiaso insists Italy put on a decent display in their losing effort against France on Sunday night.

Both nations had already qualified for the quarter-finals of the UEFA Nations League prior to their clash at San Siro, but the first spot in the group was still up for grabs. The Azzurri had the upper hand, as they only had to avoid a defeat by two goals or more to maintain their place on top, but they couldn’t finish the job.

Former Juventus midfielder Adrien Rabiot broke the deadlock early on to give Les Bleus a swift lead, while his compatriot Lucas Digne doubled the visitors’ advantage with a sensational freekick that crashed against the bar before bouncing off Guglielmo Vicario’s back and into the net.

Cambiaso pulled one back for the home side in the 35th minute after meeting Federico Dimarco’s cross with a fabulous finish, but his old teammate Rabiot restored France’s two-goal lead with his second header of the evening, thanks to another brilliant set-piece delivery from Digne.

Moise Kean almost saved the day with a last-minute strike, but Mike Maignan pulled off an incredible save to keep it 3-1.

Nevertheless, Cambiaso still felt that Italy’s display wasn’t as poor as the result may have suggested.

“In the second half, apart from the free kick, they didn’t create anything,” argued the 24-year-old in his interview with Rai Sport via IlBianconero.

“On the other hand, we created several chances. Moise tested Maignan in the final minute. But for me the performance really good.”

The Azzurri have now suffered their first defeat since their catastrophic Euro 2024 campaign, but Cambiaso feels the team has done well to overcome that agonizing blow.

“Leaving aside the European Championship, the balance sheet is positive. After that period, we managed to recover and produce quality performances in our recent outings. We are a young squad, and we must continue on this path.”