Sport
Roberto Mancini carrying out his finest work with Italy
Speaking to the media with his jacket draped over his shoulder after watching his Italy side win their third straight match at Euro 2020, Roberto Mancini had the look of a man without a care in the world. At the very least, it was the illustration of a figure enjoying the acclaim that has come his way having restored one of international football’s true superpowers.
Indeed, no team at Euro 2020 has impressed to the extent Italy have. The Azzurri have been dominant in every match they have played so far, taking nine points from a possible nine. While Italy will face higher calibre opponents than Turkey, Switzerland and Wales in the latter rounds, the manner of Italy’s performances have marked them out as contenders.
Unlike many of the teams at this summer’s tournament, Italy have proved themselves to be more than the sum of their parts. Roberto Mancini has instilled a number of coaching and ideological principles that could carry his team through the knockout rounds. That is evident in how they have played at Euro 2020.
Between Nicolo Barella, Jorginho and Manuel Locatelli, Italy have genuine balance in the centre of the pitch. Jorginho is the one who provides structure and keeps things ticking over, while Barella and Locatelli set the tone for the high tempo and intensity of the team as a whole. Locatelli has arguably been Euro 2020’s breakout star to date.
At the back, the experienced and established partnership between Leonardo Bonucci and Giorgio Chiellini gives Italy a solid defensive foundation. Leonardo Spinazzola, Alessandro Florenzi and Giovanni Di Lorenzo offer width in the wing back positions with Lorenzo Insigne, Domenico Berardi and Ciro Immobile a fluid and interchangeable attacking unit.
In terms of their individual quality, Italy have boasted stronger teams in the past, but it’s the coaching of Roberto Mancini that sets this team apart. Sunday’s 1-0 win over Wales demonstrated this. While Mancini made eight changes to his team, resting a number of key figures ahead of the last 16, there wasn’t much drop-off in Italy’s performance.
“The guys are very clever and they wanted to win every game, they have a good mentality,” Mancini explained after a third straight Euro 2020 win at the Stadio Olimpico. “I’m very happy also for this reason because we changed eight players and we played a very good game. The identity has remained the same and I think it is important. I say that changing a few players shouldn’t change anything because everyone knows what they have to do, and the product doesn’t change.”
Despite being a Premier League and Serie A winning manager, Roberto Mancini has never been considered a true top level manager. When the 56-year-old left Manchester City, the club sought to find a coach who would impose a more expansive style of football, eventually settling on Pep Guardiola. Mancini was quickly forgotten.
This Italy team, though, is his managerial masterpiece. Mancini’s side are a rarity in the international arena in that they aren’t reliant on moments of individual brilliance to win games. They have the likes of Immobile, Insigne and Locatelli to make the difference, but Italy’s strength is in their coherence as a unit.
Roberto Mancini has instilled clear coaching principles in his players, but this doesn’t restrict them from taking risks. This is what separates Italy from what we have seen from England or Spain at Euro 2020, and what makes them tournament frontrunners for many. Italy know when to stand off and when to press. They are an intelligent team capable of out-playing and out-thinking most, if not all, opponents. That comes from Mancini. This is his best work.
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