In the latest edition of La Gazzetta dello Sport, former Italy national team coach Arrigo Sacchi wrote a column, urging the Azzurri players to have absolute trust in Roberto Mancini and urging Italian fans to “not put too much pressure on the national team.”
On Thursday, Mancini announced Italy’s final 26-man squad for this summer’s European Championship, leaving out players like Provedel, Ricci, and Orsolini. In his newspaper column, Sacchi analyzed the team’s prospects for the tournament.
Sacchi wrote, “Mancini has chosen his 26 players, and I hope they are all reliable, ready to give their soul for the collective and prepared to fulfill the coach’s demands. We don’t have much time to prepare, and there is also the issue that this Italy team has never had a clear identity.”
He elaborated on his perspective: “Mancini wants a compact formation and a focus on defensive unity. In his philosophy, Italy’s high pressing must be constant, not allowing opponents any space for counterattacks. It’s complicated, but I still have faith in his coaching staff.”
Italy will face Bosnia and Herzegovina at Empoli’s Castellani Stadium in their final pre-Euro warm-up match before flying to Germany. Sacchi believes these matches hold great value and highlights areas for improvement: “Against Turkey, we saw points to work on, which was a useful test. The aim of these friendlies is to involve all 11 players, staying active with and without the ball. Barella is key to the team, while Pellegrini can make a significant contribution too.”
Addressing both the players and the fans, Sacchi offered advice: “The Euros won’t be easy, as there are no weak teams in modern football. As we were eliminated by North Macedonia, we should know this. Don’t underestimate Albania, but I’m not worried about criticism for the national team. On the contrary, history shows that whenever Italy has been criticized, it has responded. Don’t put too much pressure on Mancini’s players. Don’t burden them with excessive expectations; it could have the opposite effect. A relaxed mindset can fuel the players, and the media must help keep the team calm.”