Roberto Mancini, the architect of the new Italy.

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The Italian strategist who today sits on the bench of the "azzurra" was in his days as a player gifted with technique and vision of the game, consolidated as one of the best midfielders of the late 80s and part of the best Sampdoria of history, adding in its showcases, four Italian Cups, a Super Cup, a Serie A and the Recopa de Europa in 1990. He competed with Roberto Baggio and Giannini for the position in the Talian starting eleven, in a position that was relatively new for him. world football. After passing through Sampdoria, Mancini went to Lazio and then to Leicester in the Premier League, where he closed his successful career. Practically immediately, he began his career as a coach, in fact, Mancini always was for his other teammates on the court, so he easily took care of the Fiorentina squad that won a Coppa Italia, then he went through the benches from Lazio, Inter, Manchester City, Galatasaray and Zenit, winning 12 trophies, however, Mancini's moment was yet to come.

Mancini and the national team's call for help.

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After the resounding failure for the "azzurra" not to qualify for the 2018 World Cup in Russia, the federation fired Gian Piero Ventura and contacted Roberto Mancini, criticized even before his debut, however, he ended up winning the affection of the fans and the trust of the federation. Italy began its way to Euro 2020, on March 23, 2019, beating Finland 2-0, three days later, Italy beat Liechtenstein 6-0 and confirmed its great moment, with the passing of the days, the Italians They demonstrated the offensive chip that Mancini had implanted in them, preserving the traditional claw and the defensive solidity representative of all the Italian squads before this one, but with Mancini's class and technique reflected in players like Barella, Insigne and Chiesa, the midfielders, endowed with imbalance, they keep the ball and leave fantasy in the background, they all seek to harm the opposing goal, without neglecting their defensive lines after the loss of the ball. Mancini demonstrated his intention in multiple interviews to make his Italy, a squad with a game different from the previous ones, that people enjoy a selection with a great, fun and attractive football, Italy, closed the qualification to the Eurocup with 30 points, winning all his games, scoring 37 goals and receiving 4. Now without players of the stature of Buffon, Marchisio, Barzagli, Del Piero, Cannavaro, Pirlo, Totti and others, Mancini knows that he has a generation of young people with winning from eating the world and wants to put Italy back on the map as one of the great European giants and return the respect lost during the dark ages.

Qualifying for Qatar 2022 and Euro 2020 (2021)

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On December 7, 2020, in Switzerland, the draw that placed Italy in a group of 5 nations (due to the fact that it will have to face the "Final Four" of the new UEFA Nations League, after obtaining the leadership of his group), Switzerland, Northern Ireland, Bulgaria and Lithuania. All part of drums 1 to 5 respectively. This path began for Italy in Parma, on March 25, 2021, where they defeated Northern Ireland 2-0 with the goals of Berardi and Ciro Immobile, 3 days later, already in Bulgaria, they defeated the locals by a score of 0-2, with goals from Belotti and Locatelli. This FIFA date would be special as it was triple, because they had to accelerate the qualifying process due to the delay due to the health crisis, due to this, on March 31, Italy traveled to Lithuania and in Vilna, defeated the locals again by 0-2, with the many of Sensi and Immobile. Italy is leading the group and because of the sensations left, it does not seem that a catastrophe of the magnitude of Russia 2018 can happen again, with this good moment, Euro 2020 (2021) arrived.

Italy was paired in Group A, accompanied by Turkey, Wales and Switzerland.

In the match that opened the tournament, Mancini's "azurra" was a steamroller and defeated the Turks 3-0 in Rome, with the goal against Demiral and goals from Immobile and Insigne. Against Switzerland (which would end up eliminating France in the second round) Italy was an exact copy of the previous match, thrashed the Swiss mercilessly with Locatelli's first international double and another goal from Immobile at the Olympic in Rome, already against Wales, with a lot of substitution and also in the capital, Italy beat Bale and company with a solitary goal from Pessina, the Italians made a perfect group stage and showed that they were firm candidates for the title, the great contribution of Chiesa and Insgine and the moment they live Verratti, Jorginho and Barella, along with the second youth of Chiellini and Bonucci, are key factors in Mancini's game and the reason for the Italian dominance in the matches, in addition, the revelation Spinazzola, has taken over the left wing in every second that has been in the field, a railroad that unfortunately, will not be able to be in the semifinals due to the rupture of its Achilles heel. Gigio Donnarumma, the replacement for the historic Gianluigi Buffon, has also been firm behind and is one of the reasons for the Italian defensive solidity.

As group winners, Italy faced Austria, second in group C, in London.

The Autriacos resisted, led by David Alaba and the push of Marcel Sabitzer and Marko Arnautovic, who scored, but the VAR canceled their score out of place. Mancini wanted to avoid the extension and gave entry to Chiesa and Belotti, however it was not enough and there was an extension. Italy was physically complete, Austria fell back in a disorderly manner and first Chiesa and then Pessina, placed the Italians with a comfortable advantage in the last 15 minutes, Kalajdzic drilled Donnarumma's goal, and broke his unbeaten record, but it was not Enough, Italy qualified for the quarterfinals against a very distinguished Austria.

Belgium and Italy saw each other in one of the best matches that the Eurocup would leave us, the venue, nothing more than the Allianz Arena in Munich, despite the offensive power of the Belgians, Italy was the one who proposed and thanks to two brilliant saves from Donnarumma, the Italians held their ground, Giorgio Chiellini did not lose sight of Lukaku and Spinazzola bothered Meunier's advances, nullifying the Belgian game. Italy hit, Barella and then Insigne with a goal jewel, Lukaku scored the controversial penalty that was whistled at Jérémy Doku and thus, they went to rest, giving a football show, already in the second half, Italy could not take advantage of the Belgian despair , Spinazzola took a ball to Lukaku on the line and Lukaku himself, failed to head a rebound from Donnarumma, there was little else and Italy, got into the semifinals of a great tournament for the first time since 2012, when they fell crushed before Spain in the final 4-0, precisely its rival on July 6. Will Roberto Mancini's squad win the Eurocup?

What do you think of the new Italy that left catenaccio behind and dedicated itself to an offensive game?

A hug hiver´s se. Thank you for reading.