FLORENCE (ITALPRESS) – “At the beginning there was something to change, now the watchword is to give continuity. The champions have understood that taking advantage of these blue days can do them good inside their own team as well.” These are the words of Luciano Spalletti, in a press conference in Coverciano where the national team is starting to prepare for the next Nations League match, Thursday against Belgium at the Olympic Stadium. “Our league continually gives solutions and alternatives, it has given us some solutions in this period,” the Azzurri coach added, “There are some injuries to deal with, injuries that in my opinion depend more on the head of the players than on the muscular aspect. But I am pleased to have seen the players enthusiastic about finding themselves again this morning, that enthusiasm seen in the last two games.” Among the new additions this round is Daniel Maldini. “We are missing certain players. He has so many qualities: he has the beautiful and enchanting play, and then he has physicality, he holds his own in contrasts, he makes his way by putting his nose to the front and then it’s hard to get him back because he has running – Spalletti praises him – Sometimes he absents himself from the game, but seeing him play consistently I’ve seen him grow in an important way. Let’s see what effect being with us this week has on him, maybe it will have a good effect on him, and maybe art plays can explode in him.” As for the other new face, Pisilli, “I said to myself upon seeing him from the stands, ‘Look what a nice midfielder.’ He’s bi-phasic, and De Rossi told me that in little games he always scores goals, he has frequency and energy of pace, he can do a little bit of everything. I thought he deserved to come here with us.” But Spalletti also addressed other issues not strictly related to the Azzurri, such as clogged schedules and the increase in injuries. “For me, you don’t play a lot, you have to be equipped to play a lot. You have to play those who are behind, let the young people play. When a team doesn’t win you don’t have to talk about starters or reserves, there are teams that have 25 players who are up to the task. There are teams that are not equipped, that do not have 25 players like others, but there are teams that have them and they are allowed to play frequently for all the players they have. Is there too much play? The speeches always end there, that is, they say that the second lines, the reserves, have not done as well as the starters. One should not create alibis. Inter, Milan and Juventus have available roses to play more games. Then some performances depend on the physicality or otherwise of certain players.” On the other hand, regarding the controversy over “penalties,” yesterday Spalletti was watching Fiorentina-Milan alongside designator Rocchi, “he was engaged all the time in his job, which he does well. It’s difficult for me to get into other people’s work. But for me to see giving continuity to the game is the best thing, to accept some contrasts. I would be curious to be a referee because I would let a lot of play.” Then a joke about facilities in Italy: “Atalanta’s stadium represents our country at its best, it’s nice that we play Champions League there. Seeing matches in certain stadiums instead makes one sad. We need to catch up with the times and redo the stadiums.”- photo Ipa Agency – (ITALPRESS).
