Italy secured a hard-fought 2-1 victory against Ukraine in their Euro 2024 qualifying match yesterday, marking Luciano Spalletti’s first win as the manager of the Azzurri.
The Italian national team had previously dropped two crucial points in a game against North Macedonia, heightening the importance of their match against Ukraine. The team needed to demonstrate their capability to compete at Euro 2024, and they delivered with a crucial win.
Davide Frattesi, the Inter Milan star, played a pivotal role in securing the victory, contributing with a remarkable brace. However, it’s worth noting that he wasn’t the sole standout player in the match.
Manuel Locatelli, representing Juventus, delivered a stellar performance in the heart of Italy’s midfield. He orchestrated plays with precision and skill, demonstrating his importance to the team’s success in the match.
His performance impressed former Italy captain Fabio Cannavaro, who said, as quoted by Tuttojuve:
“I saw a team that is growing, in which we are starting to see the hand of Spalletti, one of the best coaches at an international level. The best we could hope for for the national team.
“For at least half an hour we saw an aggressive and very dynamic team in midfield with Locatelli and Frattesi. The latter went beyond the goals, very important, and has shown that he is growing greatly. In the middle, with Barella and also recovering the best Tonaliwe have well-distributed quality and physicality.”
Juve FC Says
Locatelli did well at Euro 2020 for his country and remains a player the nation is banking on in the next competition.
Marco Verratti may no longer get chances to play for the team and now is Locatelli’s time to shine.
The midfielder knows this and we expect him to take his chance as it has been given to him.
