Besides a pair of risks at the beginning of the game, the Azzurri cruised past Bosnia thanks to a collective effort and punched their ticket to the Nations League’s final four, which will be hosted in Milan and Turin in October 2021. The star-studded roster of participants will feature Belgium, France, and Spain.
Italy XI
Gianluigi Donnarumma – 6.5
He was not asked to do much but he answered the bell when he had to, denying a close-range attempt in the early going in one of the limited attempts by the opponents.
Alessandro Florenzi – 6
He probably was not in tip-top shape and that is why he was pulled at half time and did not attack much in this one, but he was in perfect position to block a threatening shot in the opening minutes.
Francesco Acerbi – 6.5
The absence of Edin Dzeko made life easier for the two center-backs, who both handled their direct opponents with ease. He was somehow part of one of the biggest chances to score in the first half.
Alessandro Bastoni – 6
He was not required to intervene and was tidy when he did. The fact that Italy controlled the pace and the ball took the pressure off the defense.
Emerson – 6
He was not as active as in the previous match, probably because the enemies did not leave much room on the wings. He was serviceable but not really a factor.
Nicolò Barella – 7
The midfield as a whole took over the game and was the main reason behind the team’s success. The Inter star furnished the usual amount of dynamism and pulled off some classy plays, as it has become the norm for him.
Jorginho – 6.5
Even though his style is not particularly noticeable, it feels like he is the engine that makes everything go in his key role as the squad’s true mastermind.
Manuel Locatelli – 7.5
His best version was finally on display with the Azzurri as he was instrumental in both goals, kicking off the action that led to the first one with a great tackle in the midfield and feeding Domenico Berardi with a terrific ball over the top in the second one.
Domenico Berardi – 7
He surely made the most of his opportunities in this strange international break and bagged his second goal in a row with a clinical flying finish after slipping behind the defense. Maybe he has indeed reached the level of maturity and consistency he has been seeking for years.
Andrea Belotti – 7
It looked like it was going to be one of those nights for him as he missed a pair of cheap shots from in the first few minutes, but he turned it around by breaking the deadlock with a slightly scuffed shot and distributed the ball pretty well overall.
Lorenzo Insigne – 7.5
Another classy performance for the Napoli cornerstone, who imposed his will and served as the principal hub for the offense, provided a soft and dazzling assist for Belotti and came close to scoring with his signature curled shot on a wonderful combination with Barella on a quick counter.
Italy Substitutes
Giovanni Di Lorenzo – 6
He held his own after coming in but Italy decided not to rely too much on the two fullbacks in this game.
Federico Bernardeschi – 6
He ceded the starting job to Domenico Berardi but subbed in with the right attitude and rattled the woodwork.
Kevin Lasagna and Davide Calabria – N/A
Alberico Evani/Roberto Mancini – 8
The approach was a little lackluster but they get most of the credit for creating a squad that showed so much cohesion and is often a pleasure to watch even though a lot of the regular players were missing.