Germany: Serie A held back by Allegri and Conte’s negative football | OneFootball

According to the Süddeutsche Zeitung, one of the most authoritative newspapers in Germany, Italian football is trapped by a tactical anomaly: a style of play based on passivity, on the exasperated management of dead time, and on the systematic destruction of rhythm.

From Germany, Serie A cannot be reborn as long as Allegri and Conte lay down the law with their “destructive football”

A phenomenon which, according to the newspaper, prevents Serie A from regaining its appeal and international competitiveness.

The analysis stems from the Derby della Madonnina, played last night, but quickly expands to the entire Italian football movement.

“Maignan as a symbol of what doesn’t work”

For the SZ, Milan’s goalkeeper Mike Maignan is not just a protagonist of the match, but the metaphor for a broader problem.

“Maignan is a great defender, in the literal sense of the word. He prevents goals, and for this the Italian press celebrates him every week. However, he constantly breaks the flow of the game. Not only because he doesn’t have the foot skills of Manuel Neuer, but also because he prefers a slow pace.”

The newspaper cites an episode from the first half of the derby: 49 seconds for a simple goal kick, with the score at 0-0.

A behavior that abroad would be considered an anomaly, while in Italy it has almost become a trademark.

“A culture of slowing down”

According to the Germans, the problem doesn’t just concern the players, but above all the coaches who guide the team’s choices.

“In Serie A, time-wasting is part of a culture promoted by many coaches. Now it’s taking on problematic aspects.”

The reference is direct: Massimiliano Allegri and Antonio Conte, accused of having elevated passivity to a dominant philosophy.

“Allegri supports an idea of football that places great value on passivity. And he has never abandoned this approach: he carries it forward with consistency. Mathematically he is right, but from the point of view of football philosophy he meets resistance.”

The criticism is clear: Italy is the only major league where “destroying” is more important than “creating.”

The statistic that alarms Germany

SZ also highlights a statistic:

➡️ Serie A is the league with the fewest goals among the top 5 in Europe: just over two per match.

A sign, for the newspaper, of a league that lives more on containment than on proposals.

Inter as the exception… but it’s not enough

Paradoxically, the only team praised is Inter, even though they are coming off heavy defeats.

“Inter, still faithful to a proactive approach, has the most shots, expected goals, and goals scored. But they are fourth in the standings.”

The message is almost provocative: the only big team that plays “the European way” is the one that pays the highest price.

SZ recalls:

the Champions League final lost “in grotesque fashion,”

the missed Scudetto,

Simone Inzaghi’s departure,

and the tactical continuity maintained by Chivu.

But the balance remains negative: Inter beaten in the derby and overwhelmed 1-3 by Conte’s Napoli, the other great supporter of “passivity.”

The final question from the German press

The Süddeutsche closes with a jab that sounds like a verdict:

“Why can’t defense in Serie A be combined with an active style of play, as they do in Europe, for example at Bayern? As long as Allegri and Conte set the tone with their destructive approach, Italian football will not rise again.”

And the harshest accusation concerns the system as a whole:

“Some attribute the national team’s crisis to the type of football taught in the academies.”

This article was translated into English by Artificial Intelligence. You can read the original version in 🇮🇹 here.