Following the Italian national team's 0-1 Europa League group stage defeat to Spain, head coach Luciano Spalletti gave an in-depth analysis of his team's performance and pointed out the direction of improvement at a press conference.
On his team's performance, Spalletti admitted that Italy were significantly less physical and responsive than their opponents. "We were not as physical and reactive as Spain, which caused us to lose speed and reaction in the game." According to him, this gap not only affected the team's offense, but also caused Italy to make frequent mistakes on the defensive end.
Explaining the team's lack of energy, Spalletti mentioned that he may need to adjust his players' recovery strategy. "I may have to let them recover a little faster and give them more time to get into shape." He admitted that the Italian team was not fluent in today's match, especially in terms of passing there were obvious problems.
When asked if this Spanish team is his ideal model, Spalletti said that while Spain's style of soccer is highly regarded, he prefers Italy to stick to their own style. "Everyone wants to imitate Spain, but we have to find our own way." He emphasized that the team needs tighter teamwork and quicker reaction times.
From an emotional point of view, Spalletti believes the result was fair. "Spain deserved the win, they controlled the game for most of the game." He admitted that Italy failed to really get into their stride throughout the match.
Commenting on the players' performances, Spalletti noted that the entire squad was in poor form, with many players performing below their normal level. "We need to improve on our form and reaction time." He mentioned that although Rettger and Raspadoli stepped up their pressing and created some chances for the team in the final stages, it wasn't enough to change the outcome of the game.
