At 8:45 PM Italian time today (2:45 PM in New York), Luciano Spalletti’s Italian national team will return to the field for their second Nations League match. Following their opening victory against France, the Azzurri will face Israel at a neutral venue in Budapest. Israel comes into this game after a 3-1 defeat to Belgium in their opening match.
In yesterday’s press conference, Coach Spalletti highlighted the challenges ahead: “If we don’t approach the match with the right mindset, we could fall into a trap. I will make four or five changes from the France game.” It is confirmed that Calafiori will miss the match as he has returned to London to recover from a contusion to his left calf under the supervision of Arsenal’s medical staff. Pellegrini will also be absent due to a muscle issue, though he remains with the squad.
From a communicative perspective, Spalletti has continued the approach he adopted before the France match, aiming to instill confidence in his players. “We may not have a true thoroughbred like Baggio, Totti, or Del Piero, but we have many players who can do a lot of things: they can adapt and return to a more emotional style of football. We can make a difference this way as well. Against France, we were like brothers forming a team.”
