A new dawn for the Azzurri

Welcome to Calcio Square, an email newsletter dedicated to Serie A and Italian football. Every Monday, Anthony Lopopolo breaks down the week that was in Italy. With Serie A on hiatus, the Italian national team is the focus of this week's edition. Today's read is about five minutes long.

Italy has already shown how quickly it can undo years of hard work. It can win the European Championship one year and fail to qualify for the World Cup the next. 

But just as quickly as it can sink to new lows, the national team can bounce back to record highs. It can suffer a humiliating group-stage exit from the European Championship one year and win the World Cup two years later.

The way it has shrugged off its latest setback - a loss to Switzerland in the round of 16 that ended its miserable title defense at Euro 2024 - fits the script. Italy has won three of the four matches it has played since that insipid defeat, beating France and Israel twice while nearly holding Belgium with 10 men.

Luciano Spalletti survived a cull of his own. Many Italians wanted him gone after the Euros. The football Italy played in Germany was confusing and uninspiring. 

It's different now. The Azzurri are playing like a team again. They're exchanging passes on the move, countering with ferocity, and creating chance after chance. They're scoring two goals a game - and more. They look like the team that trounced opponents in the years leading up to Euro 2020.

Spalletti's ideas are taking hold. His full-backs are playing high and wide, making overlapping runs and supporting the attack. It's no wonder Federico Dimarco is enjoying some of his best football under Spalletti. Dimarco almost always finds himself in the final third and is almost always in a position to whip in an inviting cross or score himself.

It helps to have someone who can score regularly, and Mateo Retegui has arguably done it better than any other Italian in recent years. But it's not just his composure in front of goal. He's one of the best in the game when it comes to holding up play and shielding the ball from opponents. He's incredibly strong.

Then there is Sandro Tonali, who's returned a new man after serving a 10-month suspension for betting on matches. He's Italy's Tasmanian Devil, a whirlwind of force and willpower that's brought new life to the team. He's everywhere at once, putting out fires where he sees them. If you put a wall of players in front of him, he'd find a way to break through.

A revolution is bubbling here. As we've seen, it doesn't take much for Italy to start one.

Other observations 👀

Interesting storylines that deserve your attention.

It's only a matter of time before Pep Guardiola coaches in Italy. He speaks the language fluently, counts the likes of Roberto Baggio and Luca Toni as old friends, and seems to feel right at home in the country.

It's fun to think about what he could achieve there. Imagine the mastermind behind the two greatest dynasties of the 21st century reshaping Italian tactics as we know them today. He'd make so many Italians better players and influence coaches around him.

But where would he go? Would he accept AC Milan's budget limitations? Would Inter kick Simone Inzaghi to the curb? Juventus wouldn't abandon Thiago Motta so early, would they? Maybe the best fit is Roma, who've been underachieving for seemingly centuries and need strong leadership now more than ever. He also played there. Dan Friedkin, Roma's unpopular owner, may just need to hire someone like Guardiola to appease fans and get his sputtering project going.

Things you should know 🔎

A list of three to five news items that you may have missed.

1. Genoa are in big trouble. 777 Partners, the club's highly indebted ownership group, has collapsed, leaving all of its assets in the hands of liquidators tasked with returning money to its many creditors. But Genoa are only one of seven clubs under the control of the Miami-based consortium. There are huge debts to pay off, all while the club battles what seems to be an inevitable fight against relegation.
2. Daniel Maldini made his Italy debut in Udine, the very same place his father Paolo appeared for the first time for AC Milan. His grandfather Cesare kicked off the dynasty when he made his international debut in 1960. But Daniel is different in so many ways. He's the first of his family to turn up for Italy as a non-Milan player. He's also an attacker, betraying his paternal roots in defending. It's very much his personal journey, something he's worked to achieve, not the result of any nepotism, as some on X have suggested. Daniel is a rare breed of trequartista that excels in half spaces and finds teammates with ridiculous passes. He's a throwback, and that's sometimes why he struggles for consistency. If he adds some strength and brawn to his game, Daniel may just become a great player in his own right.
3. Lorenzo Lucca made his debut in Udine as well. Except he's 24, and he's taken the long way 'round. Lucca worked his way up from Serie D, Italy's semi-pro league, to get to where he is, making stops at Palermo, Pisa and, incredibly, Ajax along the way. Now at Udinese, he's a tall striker and the kind of penalty-box presence Italy has been missing. Keep an eye on him.

Parting shot 💥

Anthony shares his opinion about something that's bothering him.

The ultras are part of the fabric of Italian football. They add colour and sound to each match, making otherwise half-empty stadiums feel alive. They're as much a part of the Italian football experience as the ball in play. You feel it when they're not there. You take pictures of them when they are. 

The arrests that took place a couple of weeks ago threaten to shake up the ultras as we know them. The mafia has once again infiltrated these groups and corrupted some leaders. But the solution isn't to ban these fan groups entirely. We need reform and better checks and balances. We can't have anyone intimidating players, coaches, or management. A lot of disenfranchised young people find belonging in these groups, and it's important that they have a safe place where they can assemble. These are communities, and they're serving the teams they love. We can't forget that. Lose them, and a lot of what makes Serie A great will go with them.

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