Matteo Gabbia has been called up by Italy's first team (for the first time) for the two Nations League matches against Belgium and Israel.
During a press conference, coach Luciano Spalletti spoke about the AC Milan defender:
Why Matteo Gabbia and not Federico Gatti of Juventus? Italy has switched to a three-man defense, yet teams like Napoli and Juventus have returned to a four-man defence in the league. Is this a trend that's coming back? Could it cause more difficulties in the future?
"Matteo (Gabbia) has shown that he knows how to lead the defensive line, being a very attentive and intense player in his approach. He always keeps a high line, and communicates frequently with his teammates. We had this need, and I called him up with pleasure. It's a pleasure to have a Milan player, because it’s a club that can give us a lot, even though there aren’t many Italians there now. Gatti had an issue that needed fixing, and he was in a condition where he had to recover, even if he had come. But we want our players healthy: Fiorentina immediately informed us last night of Kean’s reaction, so we’re all set. To do well, we could use one more player, but we’re fortunate to have midfielders who are comfortable with scoring goals, and that gives us peace of mind. Calling up another player is something we could do, even the day before the match, but if everything goes in the right direction, we’re fine."
Spalletti added:
"As for the second question, I’d say that coaches adapt to the characteristics of their players. In the last Napoli match I watched, Politano even played as a wide midfielder. It was a bit of both. In daily work, coaches find the right balance: there can be further evolution with this three-man defense, 3-4-2-1 or 3-5-2 are very similar, and in possession, the difference isn’t noticeable. I don’t see a full convergence on formations; there must be room to try new and unexpected things."
