APPIANO GENTILE (ITALPRESS) – “Italy and Germany have always been two very strong national teams, the history and results have given fascination to this challenge. It will be a good match that both teams will play to win, with an open face. If we are not good in match management and if we have to chase all the time it will be difficult to come out on top. They will put their quality, but we will want to win.” This was stated by national team coach Luciano Spalletti in a press conference on the eve of the Nations League match against Germany.
Mateo Retegui will not be there, unavailable due to a muscle strain that will force him to miss the doubleheader against the Germans. “Retegui had a fatigue and, as we have always done, when in doubt we send them home. For the moment I’m not calling anyone because I want to see how the first challenge goes, it may be that we need a first or a second forward, we will also evaluate it based on the recovery of Zaccagni and Cambiaso, but if I have to call a first forward I will call Piccoli, if I have to call a second forward I will call Baldanzi.”
For sure, at least in tomorrow’s first leg match, Moise Kean will be the center forward at San Siro. “Since I think it will come out a slam-dunk match, maybe Kean is better at starting more from a distance while Retegui is maybe stronger in the penalty area. I found him very matured,” he added, “I had the chance to compare, not only on soccer. I got to know him better, he is a little different from the message he sends, he is a sensitive guy who cares about his profession, his teammates, he is perfectly inside that team morality that we want to go and create.”
Among the strengths of this national team is definitely Riccardo Calafiori, an Arsenal defender and an important man in the Azzurri coach’s chessboard. “We are preparing for this challenge, whether it is Nations League or friendly it is always Italy-Germany, it is not a match like any other. I have so many memories of this challenge, certainly the 2006 World Cup semifinal, but also the 2016 European Championship, we have always performed well, we started a little behind on paper, but then we always brought out the best,” the words of the former Bologna man.
– Photo Ipa Agency –
(ITALPRESS)
