Italy got the final phase of their preparations for Euro 2024 off to a sluggish start, sharing the spoils with Turkey in a scoreless draw at Stadio Renato Dall’Ara. It was a game of few chances, especially in the opening 45 minutes.
Following a disappointing first-half performance, Italy slightly improved after the break. However, the reigning European champions looked rusty and out of steam. Roma defender Gianluca Mancini concedes Gli Azzurri lacked sharpness in their penultimate friendly ahead of the Euros.
“We had four days of intensive training to get as much done as possible, but in the first half, we were a bit clumsy and too frenetic on the second ball,” the Italy defender told RAI Sport, as quoted by TMW. “The second half was better.
“We sorted some things out during the break, with the wingers cutting inside or putting in cross-field passes to attack the box. Turkey were dangerous on the counter-attack, and we were not sharp enough with our passing.“
Italy enjoyed more possession, relying on patient build-up and short passes. Unfortunately for the home fans, the Euro 2020 winners struggled to create enough scoring opportunities. Luciano Spalletti’s side nearly snatched away a last-gasp win, but Mattia Zaccagni failed to score from a promising position.
After a dismal performance against Turkey, Italy will be looking to get back on the rails in their final warm-up fixture against Bosnia & Herzegovina. The two sides will lock horns on Sunday at Empoli’s Carlo Castellani.
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