COLOGNE, Germany — As Italy head coach Luciano Spalletti spluttered and ranted and criticized and generally talked himself into a muddle, you had to wonder, has there ever been a worse defense of a European Championship than this one?
The answer, stunningly, is yes. Past victors of the Euros have historically struggled, with one standout exception, and in that sense, Italy’s tame and uninspired exit in the Round of 16 shouldn’t have been as much of a surprise as it turned out to be.
But has there ever been one that came about in more dejected circumstances, with Spalletti’s team showing not a scrap of fight in a 2-0 loss to Switzerland, and then the coach explaining away what happened with a litany of excuses — none of which carried much merit?
Perhaps not.
Maybe we all expected too much from the Azzurri, but it was hard not to after that splendid capture of the trophy three years ago, culminating in winning a penalty shootout against England at Wembley Stadium in the final.
If this wasn’t the most talented team in its long history, at least we could bank on the relentless will to win, couldn’t we? At least amid Spalletti’s unconventional methods and sometimes crude rants, they were going to be a tough out? They weren’t.
And to add insult to it all, there was this.
“I have the responsibility for what has happened,” Spalletti told reporters, before going right ahead and blaming pretty much anything and everything else.
“I need to get to know my team a bit better,” he added. “We also had a number of players who suffered injuries, players I was counting on, and you saw that in terms of intensity we were under par. Inter won Serie A, and they are a serious, professional club. But perhaps unconsciously, you’re not as applied once you won the league so early.”
So, er, your team suffered because they had a bunch of players from a club team that was too good, and clinched their league title with some games to spare? Known elsewhere at Euro 2024 as … welcome rest.
“I’ve got no fear,” Spalletti said. “I have come under pressure right from day one.”
Sure, Spalletti only came into the job with 10 months to spare, after the resignation of Roberto Mancini, though some would argue that kind of freshness can also be a positive in the right hands.
Adding to his list of complaints, he said the players did not try hard enough in practice and that the media hurt Italy’s chances by giving some players a 4/10 rating in its draw against Croatia, sapping their confidence.
All in all, the simple truth is that they were not good enough to make any real kind of impact on this tournament.
Gianluca Scamacca and Federico Chiesa were ineffectual up front, while standout goalkeeper Gianluigi Donnarumma too often found himself pressured.
Spalletti’s side was fortunate against Albania, surviving an early goal and coming back to scrape out a win, then was utterly outplayed in a 1-0 defeat to Spain that could have been four.
It took an equalizer in the waning moments to tie Croatia 1-1 — as things later transpired, they would have been eliminated as one of the lower ranked third place teams had Mattia Zaccagni’s goal not gone in.
Since the Euros expanded to 16 teams, things have not been kind to the reigning champs. In 2000, the Germany side that was so skilled four years earlier came bottom of its group with no wins. Shock 2004 champion Greece backed it up in 2008 with three straight defeats.
Spain in 2016 lost in the first knockout round, so did Portugal last time around and obviously Italy here. The only success was Spain in 2012, which carried on its incredible run of momentum, adding another Euros title to the one it lifted in 2008 and the World Cup two years later.
On Saturday, Switzerland was resolute and more inventive than we have come to expect. Murat Yakin’s team has now gotten past the group stage in its last six major tournaments but made little further progress. Perhaps this time will be different. To a certain extent, it already is.
Next up for the Swiss is England or Slovakia in what is now regarded as among the softest parts of the draw.
Next for Italy? Well, nothing, except regret and retribution, and Spalletti’s careless words ringing in their ears.
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