Italy, it’s off to a bad start for Spalletti

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By: Nicolas Gerbault

Italy, it's off to a bad start for Spalletti

For the first match of its new coach, the Nazionale was hung in North Macedonia (1-1) and remains third in its group in the Euro 2024 qualifiers.

The Luciano Spalletti effect will wait. For the first match of its new coach, who made up for the sudden departure of Roberto Mancini at short notice, Italy could only draw this Saturday evening in North Macedonia (1-1).

Faced with the team that eliminated them in the 2022 World Cup play-off, the Transalpines managed to open the scoring with their home scorer Ciro Immobile, well placed to take over Nicollo Barella (47th). Without Marco Verratti (pending departure from PSG) but with Gianluigi Donnarumma, the Nazionale finally conceded the equalizer at the end of the match, on a nice free kick from Enis Bardhi (1-1, 81st).

Italy thus remains in difficulty in this group C, dominated by England. With four points from three matches, the Nazionale is in a delicate position before hosting Ukraine, which has seven points (but one match more). Italy-Ukraine on Tuesday evening will already be very expensive for the reigning European champions.

Nicolas Gerbault

Written by:

Nicolas Gerbault

Nicolas Gerbault is a passionate and knowledgeable football enthusiast with a special focus on French football. Born and raised in France, Nicolas discovered his love for the beautiful game at a young age and developed a deep understanding of the ins and outs of "Le Championnat." His French roots and extensive experience in football journalism have made him an invaluable asset to the French Football Weekly team. As an author for the website, his expertise includes not only in-depth analysis of Ligue 1 and Ligue 2 matches but also insightful profiles of up-and-coming talents, detailed transfer news, and engaging coverage of the French national team. His captivating writing style and undeniable passion for the game have earned him a loyal following among our readers. When he's not crafting engaging articles for French Football Weekly, Nicolas enjoys attending live matches whenever he can, exploring football culture in various French cities, and engaging in spirited debates with fellow fans.