Italy has come a long way since the fateful night in Milan back in November 2017.
Gli Azzurri welcomed Sweden to the San Siro and needed to turn a deficit with a goal to secure the qualifiers for the World Cup 2018. 90 minutes later, a country was in mourning.
Coach Gian Piero Ventura’s side limped to a 0-0 draw, Daniele De Rossi refused to be replaced and thought a more attacking player should be introduced, and the entire national team line-up was in pure chaos.
What should you do when they come after you? / Claudio Villa / Getty Images
Well, the year is now 2021, and Italy’s diseases have been reduced from seemingly incurable damage to minor headaches. Roberto Mancini is at the helm and has been monitoring the arrival of the next generation of Azzurri.
The players peak at just the right time and take Euro 2020 by storm – so much so that it is now whispered that Italy is actually the team that will hold on to your money this summer. It is clear to see why as well.
Three matches, three wins, 0 goals were released and the second most done in the competition so far. Easy as pie. Several players have climbed on the plate in the last two weeks and become known throughout Europe.
Locatelli has taken Euro 2020 by storm / Quality Sport Images / Getty Images
Domenico Berardi finally shows his true potential, Leonardo Spinazzola’s screens draw links with a move to Real Madrid, and Lorenzo Insigne is the country’s truly attacking kingpin.
But a man has been driven into the stratosphere, from the Sassuolo prospect to being courted by all of Europe’s giants, Manuel Locatelli.
The 23-year-old started both of the two opening matches, which Italy won 3-0, and played a blind in the second game against Switzerland.
He hung a brace, first timed a drive into the box to perfection and slotted home, and then screened a Star of the Match performance with a firecracker outside the area. It was about as complete a midfield screen as you could imagine.
Marco Verratti’s game after numbers against #WAL:
103 passes completed94% pass accuracy 10 duels won 7 ball recoveries 6 created chances 4 tackles 2 incorrect moves 2 attempts to counter play 2 successful plays 2 shots 1 assist
How about a EURO debut? ? pic.twitter.com/WwhNHqUhBa
– Statman Dave (@StatmanDave) June 20, 2021
And then Marco Verratti returned from injury and produced an even more rounded performance on his long-awaited comeback.
The Paris Saint-Germain star took Italy’s midfield to new heights in the 1-0 win over Wales, whizzing around the pitch to break up attacks, using his agile feet to avoid detection and kicking off his team as he moved up the pitch.
The stereotypical perceptions of Verratti suggest that he is a terrier who likes to tackle too much, sits in front of a defense and acts as a slightly more mobile rain by Gennaro Gattuso. But he is so much more than that.
The 28-year-old also plays a major role in Italy’s success in the final third, and ping passes as they attach their opponents to their own penalty area. His underrated vision saw him create six chances against Wales, giving him the only goal of the game with a well-escaped set piece.
And the fact that he wore the bracelet during the second half of the match only further shows how important he is for his country. His return saw Locatelli forced to watch from the bench, and the Sassuolo star must have felt that his chances of starting in the last 16 slip away with every passing minute.
1 – Marco Verratti led all players in the match between Italy and Wales for touches (136), finished passes (103), created chances (5) and tackles (4), and helped the only goal of the game. Talented. # EURO2020 pic.twitter.com/akWQSbejgM
– OptaJoe (@OptaJoe) June 20, 2021
In fact, Verratti’s return to fitness has given Mancini his first minor headache in the tournament. Locatelli is the new child in the neighborhood, wonders the boy and the man who must feel that it is his destiny to cement his place in football folklore and drive Italy to European glory.
Then there is the pocket-shaped elephant in the corner of the room. In his day and in full condition, Verratti is the best midfielder that Italy has at his disposal and one of the very best in the world.
So no matter how well Locatelli has played – unfair as it seems – Verratti must start.
Is there room elsewhere in the midfield for the tournament’s breakout star? Well, not really.
Insigne supports Jorginho for the Ballon d’Or: “It’s not me who decides if he deserves the Ballon d’Or, but I hope he gets on the list, he deserves it, he is a good player. I call him the professor and we’re all happy to play with him. ”Pic.twitter.com/JOBQIrVP1J
– Vince ™ (@Blue_Footy) June 23, 2021
Premier League viewers may laugh and ridicule Jorginho for his sideline and lack of assists, but he is fundamental to Italy’s game. When he pulls in the blue in Italy, he is a different and more appreciated player than the one who wears Chelsea blue.
Jorginho’s ability to protect the Azzurri back line means that replacing him in the later stages of a tournament would be too great a risk, and the same goes for Nicolo Barella. The diminutive box-to-box midfielder drives his team forward, clicks into tackles and wins his own free kicks to handle the game in a smart way.
As his title-winning performances proved for Inter, he grows into a wonderful b ***** d of a player.
How can you not love them ??
This is amazing to see. The ties are strong with this team. ??????
Nicolo Barella quickly pulls on Manuel Locatelli.?
pic.twitter.com/O6yYiQ8s6a
– Jerry Mancini (@ jmancini8) June 20, 2021
There is currently no space for Locatelli. It seems crazy considering his impact in the campaign’s first two matches, but it’s also an indication of how strong this Italian side is. He is the fairy tale, but Mancini knows that there is more to the management than reading the story.
Verratti is back, and no matter how little football he has played in recent weeks, he has earned the right to go straight into the heart of the Italian team and head of the rest of Europe. Locatelli’s time will come, but a new story is developing: it’s Verratti’s turn to show what he can do in a big tournament.
