After a disappointing result against Bulgaria, Italy’s World Cup qualifying campaign continued with a second straight draw in Switzerland. The European champions were the dominant side, but a lackluster second half and a big performance from Swiss goalkeeper Yann Sommer led to the goalless final. Jorginho’s missed penalty and a poor one-on-one finish by Domenico Berardi ensured that Italy would leave without the full three points.
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Gli 11 #Azzurri ? scelti dal Ct Mancini per
⏱️ Oggi, ore 20.45
?️ Stadio St. Jakob-Park – #Basilea
? In diretta su #Rai1 #SviIta #SvizzeraItalia#Azzurri #VivoAzzurro pic.twitter.com/FaDmynEuVS— Nazionale Italiana ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ (@Azzurri) September 5, 2021
Gianluigi Donnarumma – 6.5
Donnarumma was not challenged often, but he did distribute the ball well. As the Swiss offense came alive late in the match, he kept his cool and finished with two saves.
Emerson – 8
Emerson had several moments of quality, both offensively and defensively. He was never caught out of position and showed chemistry with Lorenzo Insigne on the wing.
Giorgio Chiellini – 7.5
Despite recently turning 37-years-old, the captain continues to turn in quality performances. Though Switzerland found ample space in the midfield, Chiellini defended well alongside his partners.
Leonardo Bonucci – 6.5
Bonucci was not quite as sharp as Chiellini, playing one particularly poor ball that allowed the Swiss a shot. However, he played solid defense and helped preserve the shutout.
Giovanni Di Lorenzo – 5
Di Lorenzo struggled with Steven Zuber and allowed the Swiss far too much time and space on the wing. He had one dreadful pass that nearly led to a goal and was not an offensive threat. With so many strong right-back options, Di Lorenzo will need to improve to remain in the Italian starting eleven.
Nicolò Barella – 6.5
After flashing in the first half, Barella largely struggled in the second. He showed effort and pace when leading Italy’s press, but he was neutralized by Djibril Sow in the attacking third.
Jorginho – 3.5
The Chelsea player was Italy’s worst man on the pitch, allowing the Swiss attacking midfield far too much space and failing to contribute to the offensive effort. He missed a penalty and has taken a step back from his performance in the European Championship.
Manuel Locatelli – 8
Despite tiring out in the second half, Locatelli was in fine form. The midfielder filled the deep-lying playmaker role to perfection, slotting several dangerous passes through the opposing backline. He was the only Italian midfielder to defend effectively, stifling a number of attacks.
Domenico Berardi – 5
Berardi was surprisingly included over Federico Chiesa as the right winger. The Sassuolo man was not his usual creative self and missed a one-on-one chance against Sommer.
Ciro Immobile – 4.5
After a quiet match against Bulgaria, Immobile was again notably absent. His one shot was uninspiring, and Italy’s attack looked much more dangerous when running through Lorenzo Insigne.
Lorenzo Insigne – 8
The Napoli man was brilliant, dominating the left channel alongside Emerson. He contributed defensively when needed and swung in several dangerous crosses. His form faltered in the second half, but he was by far Italy’s most dangerous forward.
Substitutes
Federico Chiesa – 6.5
Chiesa came in for Immobile with thirty minutes left and injected needed pace into the match.
Nicolo Zaniolo – 7
Coming in for Berardi, Zaniolo was a threat on the right wing and nearly earned a late penalty. He should merit more playing time in the future.
Marco Verratti – N/A
Matteo Pessina – N/A
Giacomo Raspadori – N/A