Italy are no longer Euro 2020 dark horses

17/06/21 1956

Italy went into the Euro 2020 tournament as a dark horse with few onlookers expecting them to win the competition. Much of the pre-tournament talk centred around France, England, Belgium, and even Portugal as potential winners.

Yet, after two group stage games, no team at the Euro 2020 tournament has looked as strong as Italy. Roberto Mancini has rebuilt the Azzurri into a high-energy, intense-pressing team.

It is a style of play we have never seen from an Italian team. In fact, it is a style of play seen at club football level rather than the international stage.

Based on Italy’s performances thus far, it is possible that Mancini has started a shift in the way national teams play. Next year’s World Cup could see even more national teams adopt Italy’s high-press, high-octane tactics.

Italy went into the Euro 2020 tournament at odds of 8/1. After thrashing Turkey 3-0 and battering Switzerland 3-0 in the group stage, leading bookies have Italy at odds of 6/1.

They are now joint-third favourites to win the competition based on bookie odds.

Mancini’s 4-3-3 is similar to Liverpool’s style of play. It is non-stop pressing and when the ball is won, the Azzurri are in the opposing team’s final third in seconds.

Against Switzerland, Italy tallied 49.3% possession and tallied an 86% pass success rate. Yet, they outshot Switzerland 13 to six with three shots hitting the target. Sassuolo midfielder Manuel Locatelli was the team’s man of the match scoring twice.

Locatelli was brilliant – as were the entire team – and is now on the radar of Arsenal amongst other clubs. The Sassuolo midfielder is a perfect example of the new Azzurri under Mancini.

He hasn’t merely picked players from the best Serie A teams expecting them to translate club form over to international play.

Mancini selected just four players from Juventus, always seen as Italy’s top club, with two of those individuals being Leonardo Bonucci and Giorgio Chiellini, the bedrock of the team’s spine.

A mere two players were chosen to represent the nation from 2020-21 Serie A winners Inter Milan.

Nicolo Barella and Alessandro Bastoni are Inter’s only representatives. Meanwhile, the likes of Atalanta, Torino, Fiorentina, and Napoli are all represented in some way.In addition, just one AC Milan player was picked by Mancini.

Goalkeeper Gianluca Donnarumma is the Rossoneri’s sole player in the squad and with his contract expiring next month, will be with another club from next term. The Azzurri are back and better than ever under Mancini.

Italy’s road to the final won’t be easy once the group stage ends. If the team win Group A, which they have already sealed progression to the round of 16, they will face the runner-up of Group C.

The game will pit the Azzurri against one of Austria, Netherlands, North Macedonia, or Ukraine.

It is a difficult road, but based on form, 15 games unbeaten in 2020-21 with 10 straight matches ending in wins to nil, Italy could reach the final and win it.