The curious case of Roberto Mancini's up and down Azzurri
The curious case of Roberto Mancini’s up and down Italy: Euro 2020 winners didn’t even reach the last World Cup as fears grow that production line of top talent is BROKEN, with the likes of Wilfried Gnonto having to go abroad to play
- Roberto Mancini has bemoaned a shortage of Italian players featuring in Serie A
- Argentine Mateo Retegui was called up amid a shortage of attacking options
- The Euro 2020 champions are set to face England in Naples on Thursday
Roberto Mancini is in charge of the reigning European champions and four-time World Cup winners but sounds more like the manager of a struggling Premier League club on a tight budget.
As Italy prepare to take on England in Naples, Mancini is unhappy with his lot. The former Manchester City boss lacks options in attack and has turned to Mateo Retegui, an Argentine with an Italian grandmother who is in form at Club Atletico Tigre.
‘We didn’t expect him to say yes,’ admitted Mancini. ‘We have been following him for a long time. He is young with plenty of room for improvement.’
There is no stranger national side than the Azzurri. How could they fail to qualify for consecutive World Cups, yet win Euro 2020 in between by defeating England on penalties in the final?
After years of mediocrity, Serie A has roared back in Europe this term. Runaway leaders Napoli have arguably been the best team on the continent and join AC Milan and Inter Milan in the Champions League quarter-finals.
Roberto Mancini has bemoaned a lack of Italian players currently featuring at Serie A clubs
Mancini masterminded Italy’s triumph at Euro 2020 where they beat England on penalties
Mancini questioned why Wilfried Gnonto and Gaetano Oristanio had to move abroad to play
Roma and Juventus have good draws in the Europa League last eight, as do Fiorentina in the Europa Conference League.
THREE ITALIANS WHO CAN SHINE
Lorenzo Pellegrini (Age: 26. Club: Roma. Position: Midfield.)
Injury and fierce competition have limited Pellegrini’s contribution for Italy but the Roma captain is one of the best attacking midfielders in the business and is capable of asking England plenty of questions.
Mateo Retegui (Age: 23. Position: Forward. Club: Atletico Tigre.)
Italy’s struggles in attack have led Mancini to domestic football in Argentina. Retegui is nowhere near the world champions’ squad but qualifies for Italy through a grandmother. His record since the start of 2022 — 25 goals in 35 league games — means he is worth a look.
Giorgio Scalvini (Age: 19. Position: Defender. Club: Atalanta.)
Whatever their difficulties, Italian football has usually been able to produce expert defenders. Scalvini is the latest to emerge and it seems only a matter of time before he is a regular starter.
But apart from Jose Mourinho at Roma, it is Italian coaches who have masterminded this revival, not Italian players.
‘We will manage somehow,’ said a downbeat Mancini ahead of fixtures against England and Malta.
The lack of Italians in Serie A led him to an important point when asked why young stars such as Leeds’ Wilfried Gnonto and Gaetano Oristanio, on loan at Dutch club Volendam from Inter, have had to move abroad to play.
The 58-year-old raised his eyebrows when told Gareth Southgate had made similar remarks about the lack of players eligible for England in the Premier League, though the statistics in Premier League and Serie A are similar with around 30 per cent of starting players available to the national team.
Mancini said: ‘Why did nobody in Italy take Gnonto? He could have been playing for a club like Fiorentina, but instead he is starting in the Premier League.
‘Oristanio is a quality player, but apparently he is not for us. If people would only give them a chance. If a young player is trusted, he will repay it.’
With so many experienced overseas players available on free transfers every summer, it is hard to see where the trend ends.
On the one hand Mancini moans about slim pickings. On the other, he leaves out Lazio star Mattia Zaccagni, the best Italian wide player in Serie A this season.
It is thought he is paying the price for withdrawing from the squad citing injury last summer, despite Italy’s medical team deeming him in reasonable shape.
It is a similar story with midfielder Stefano Sensi, and forwards Nicolo Zaniolo and Moise Kean have exasperated Mancini with slack time-keeping and a casual attitude.
Juventus midfielder Manuel Locatelli is another strange omission.
Italy won Euro 2020 playing 4-3-3 but after missing out on Qatar, Mancini switched to 3-5-2. His side responded by reaching the Nations League Final Four.
His most consistent forward of late has been Giacomo Raspadori but the Napoli man is injured. So too are Federico Chiesa and Inter wing back Federico Dimarco.
Gnonto has impressed for his country and England must also keep an eye on Roma captain Lorenzo Pellegrini and Atalanta defender Giorgio Scalvini.
Mancini has courted controversy by defending an image of children in blackface, an attempted tribute to Napoli’s Nigerian forward Victor Osimhen. It was a not a great look but he has credit in the bank.
A good result against England tomorrow will help but defeat and Mancini might find he has even more to moan about.
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