The odds mandated the Italians make their way into the playoff final, but the fates had more pain in store for the European champions. A lack of incision in the final third paved the way to a stunning climax that barred the revival of the Azzurri from reaching its natural endpoint. Tactical analysis and match report by […]
Windsor Park was the perfect stage for the Italians to correct the errors of 2017 and bag a place in the World Cup. Or so it seemed. Mancini’s maneuvers in a 3-1-3-3 shape backfired, leaving his men to confront the horrors of the past in their totality via the playoffs. Tactical analysis and match report […]
Italy and Switzerland remained level on points at the top of Group C in the European section of the 2022 FIFA World Cup Qualifiers, as Silvan Widmer’s goal was cancelled out by Giovanni Di Lorenzo to give both teams a share of the points. With only the group winners going through to next year’s tournament, […]
Italy edged past their visitors the last time the two outfits met but were not so fortunate this time around. Thanks to a twist on an old ploy and an aggressive high press, Spain proved that there are chinks in Italy’s armor after all. Tactical analysis and match report by Emmanuel Adeyemi-Abere. In a game […]
Wembley Way, a fanatic home crowd, and an early goal seemed to put England on their way to banish the demons of the past. Alas, winning a game of football means being in the fight for the long haul, and the Italians pulled through to deal their opponents the cruelest of blows. Tactical analysis and […]
Staging the FA Cup Final, Wembley Stadium has given many an immortal status in the game. Roberto Mancini knows this only too well: etching his name into the history books in 2011 with Manchester City, his success was the first of many to follow. What can England do to prevent another trophy for Mancini in […]
The reignition of an age-old rivalry promised a spectacle between two advocates of a new school approach. But amid over two hours of entertainment, old habits died hard. The masters gave a lecture of the highest caliber, but conceding the stylistic battle, the pretenders won the war. Tactical analysis and match report by Emmanuel Adeyemi-Abere. […]
Everyone remembers the EURO 2012 final, where the Spanish golden generation won a third trophy in a mere four years. But as one mission came to an end, another had begun. From then on, Italy swore itself to a path of vengeance. Antonio Conte would engineer a 2-0 victory four years down the line to […]
Belgium were handed their wake up call after it was too late. Issues in the middle of their 5-2-3 shape were exploited by the Italians, who attacked with fluency and panache, from out wide to inside. The renaissance under Roberto Mancini continued in inevitable style, as the semi-finals now beckon. Tactical analysis and match report […]
Italy’s streak of comfortable outings was put to a grinding halt as they were given their toughest test of EURO 2020. Franco Foda’s Austria side strained the Italians early on with well-structured possessional control. And as Italy eventually grew into proceedings, the stubborn Austrian defense made Italy work extra-time to break through. Even then, Austria […]