Italy (National Football)

Since the controversial top-of-the-table clash between Juventus and Roma on October 5, Italian soccer has been severely divided.

Roma fans—and Juve haters—are convinced that Gianluca Rocchi's controversial calls were the result of a fix.  They point to the penalties Juve were subject to in the wake of the Calciopoli scandal as a supposed track record.  Roma captain Francesco Totti led the charge, claiming in a post-match interview with Sky Sport Italia (via Football Italia) that "Juventus ought to have their own league, as by hook or by crook they always win."

Totti's incendiary remarks have produced a storm of backlash.  Juve director Giuseppe Marotta referred to the comments as "not acceptable" (h/t Football Italia).  Former on-field star and current board member Pavel Nedved called Totti out for not knowing what it was like to play for a club as big as Juve.

His biggest detractor has been his friend and former international teammate Gianluigi Buffon.  In a pep talk posted on the web site of Carrarese, the third-division club he co-owns (h/t Football Italia), Buffon took a veiled shot at Totti by saying, "Winners find a way, losers find excuses."

This Monday, Football Italia relayed comments he made to RAI Sport in which he again criticized the Roma captain.  "Throughout my career I've won a lot," he said, "but I've also lost a lot...but I don't think you've ever seen Buffon doing interviews in which he railed against someone or made inferences which aren't good for anyone or for the image of our game."

The sniping back and forth is reaching a fever pitch—and it's hurting the Italian game.

Of particular concern is the unity of the national team, which draws heavily on Juventus for its core.  The incendiary comments that have been lobbed back and forth can only serve to drive a wedge between the Juve players on the roster and those of the rest of the league.  The creation of a haves-vs.-have-nots dynamic in the dressing room could serve to poison Antonio Conte's team.

Conte was questioned about just such an effect last Monday when the Azzurri arrived at Coverciano for training.  He denied that it would be an issue, saying at his press conference, "When you arrive at the national team it is necessary to defend the colors of the country.  That is the case as it was in the past and it will be in the future."

Despite his sentiment, Conte quickly had to clamp down on the continuing controversy.  After Leonardo Bonucci directed an inflammatory tweet at Juve's critics, the CT banned social media from the dressing room.

The threat that a divide between Juve players and those from the rest of Serie A would pose to the national team is a serious one.  For an example of what such a rift can do, one only needs to look across the sea.

Historically, the Spanish national team's core has been made up of players from Real Madrid and Barcelona.  To say the two clubs are bitter rivals is an incredible understatement.

To many Barca fans, Real represent the oppression that Catalonia endured during the Franco dictatorship and are the embodiment of the rivalry between Catalonia and Castile.  The rivalry is often ugly, and the divide between the opposing sides of El Clasico has often been blamed for Spain's years of perceived underachievement in major tournaments.

It was through the unlikely friendship of two players on opposite sides of the divide—Xavi Hernandez and Iker Casillas—that Spain's locker room overcame the rivalry and pulled together.  The result was an unprecedented run of dominance.

That run came to an end when El Clasico started turning ugly again.  A lot of that was the responsibility of Jose Mourinho, whose tenure at Real Madrid was a major factor.  As the divide solidified, cracks appeared in La Roja—culminating in their capitulation in the group stage of this summer's World Cup.

If the same type of acrimony develops between Italy's Juve core and the rest of Serie A's teams, Italy's locker room could be similarly split.  Given the state of the Italian game and the rebuilding necessary to make it competitive again at both club and international levels, that split would be a massive blow.

The divisiveness in Serie A that has resulted from Gianluca Rocchi's horrible performance last Sunday needs to end.  If it doesn't, the Italian game is going to suffer.

Italy produced a professional 1-0 victory over Malta on Monday evening to continue their renaissance under Antonio Conte. Graziano Pelle scored the only goal of the game to mark his debut in style, and the Azzurri move into nine points in Group H, level with Croatia.

Let's take a tactical look at the game.

Starting XIs and Formations

Malta selected a 3-5-2, trying to get an extra man in midfield and a second striker onto the pitch while still retaining a reasonable defensive clout. Former Coventry City striker Michael Mifsud started upfront.

Italy also went with a 3-5-2, classic Conte, with Pelle making his debut upfront alongside Ciro Immobile. Marco Verratti played instead of Andrea Pirlo in the engine room.

Back to Basics

Conte should be commended for picking exactly the right type of side to beat a stubborn, careful Malta outfit. Too often we've seen top sides flummoxed by low blocks and defensive outlooks, but Conte flexed his options well and picked an optimal XI.

The inclusion of both Pelle and Immobile, in addition to the fielding of wing-backs Antonio Candreva and Manuel Pasqual (both strong crossers), meant one thing: Basic, uncomplicated football was set to follow.

True enough, inside the first three minutes, both Candreva and Pasqual were both able to steam down the flanks and fire a ball into their strikers' feet. Neither resulted in a shot on target, but the pattern was set.

Malta would clear the ball to Italy's back three, it'd be moved to a wing-back, and he would surge forward, covering plenty of ground and linking attack to defence via the ground. A cross would soon follow, and in total, the Azzurri managed a whopping 31.

The distance between the front two and the back nine was massive, but with Malta playing no wingers, Pasqual and Candreva were largely unopposed when dribbling forward from deep, meaning it didn't matter.

Lack of a Threat

Despite seemingly playing a 3-5-2 to ensure there were bodies available to attack, Malta really struggled to stitch the lines together and ended up lumping the ball more often than not.

At times, the distance between Mifsud and Andre Schembri and the rest of the players was huge, just like Italy's, but the key difference was that none of the Maltese midfielders or wing-backs possessed the ability to carry it forward.

It led to a severe disconnect, and it paired Mifsud and Schembri up against the likes of Matteo Darmian and Giorgio Chiellini—a battle they were not going to win.

Red Card

Mifsud's first-half red card left Malta in a 3-5-1, lacking the ability to cope with Italy's direct, uncomplicated approach and lacking the numbers to attack.

Malta's fifth and final shot of the match came in the 38th minute, meaning the hosts failed to threaten Gianluigi Buffon's goal throughout the entirety of the second half.

The Azzurri simply began slinging balls into the box, knowing they'd retrieve possession via sheer numbers if Malta tried to break. Pelle hit the bar after a wicked cross from Pasqual, then Chiellini did the same from the resulting corner.

It was, at this point, one-way traffic, and Conte even had time to bring off some players who are desperately needed at club level, like Roma's Alessandro Florenzi.

Quickfire Takeaways

• The central midfield three for Italy were largely bypassed in attack, which is rare to see. The Azzurri spread it wide and crossed it whenever possible.
• Immobile and Pelle formed a very old-school partnership that did well against a weak side. Food for thought for Conte.
• Mifsud's red card was harsh, and up until his removal, Malta were threatening on the counter-attack. A shame for the home side.
• The entire Conte approach looked very Stephan Lichtsteiner-Alessandro Matri-Juventus at times.

Stats via WhoScored unless otherwise noted. 

Follow @stighefootball

Italy scraped a narrow 1-0 win over Malta on Monday evening, extending their perfect record under Antonio Conte and their solid start to qualifying for the UEFA European Championship in 2016. However, while they once again secured maximum points, the performance of the Azzurri left much room for improvement.

Sitting atop Group H with nine points, Italy can find positives to take away from the match: a goal from debutant Graziano Pelle, another clean sheet and a plethora of created chances, all reasons to hope the future for this side remains bright.

Yet the encounter also showed a huge number of flaws within this incarnation of the Azzurri in numerous areas in which the side must look to improve before the next international break. Indeed, with Croatia heading to the peninsula next month in a top-of-the-table clash, Conte and his players have much work to do if they are to continue their winning streak.

“We have to improve,” the coach told Italian state broadcaster RAI shortly after the final whistle (h/t Football Italia), and it is impossible to argue with that assessment. While he added that “four straight wins ought to build our confidence and morale,” there is little doubt this was far from a good performance by the four-time World Cup winners.

Stats site WhoScored.com shows Italy dominated proceedings at the Ta' Qali National Stadium, managing 65.7 per cent of possession and taking 19 shots to their opponent's five. Hitting the woodwork three times, the visitors can consider themselves unlucky not to have recorded a much more comprehensive victory.

Yet seeing Croatia hand a 6-0 drubbing to an Azerbaijan side who held Italy to a much narrower 2-1 scoreline on Friday evening, it is impossible to escape the feeling that Conte’s men must improve quickly. While a number of players spoke of the importance of the three points gained, Claudio Marchisio demanded a better display as he told RAI (h/t Football Italia):

It is not easy to face teams like this and Malta were even more clammed up than Azerbaijan, more tactically smart, but we are Italy and ought to prove ourselves more in these games

We need to look at the positives, which are the four victories. We have to focus on giving more, as we are capable of so much more and Croatia will be fighting for the top of the group.

It must be noted that Conte opted to rest a number of players against Malta, with Andrea Pirlo and Simone Zaza perhaps the most notable absentees. Their absence severely weakened the side, a problem accentuated by the injuries that robbed the coach of Andrea Barzagli and Daniele De Rossi.

Missing such high-quality players would trouble any team at this level, but to be truly competitive in France next summer, the other members of the Italy squad must now begin to step up. Men like Ciro Immobile, who has begun to net at an impressive rate for Borussia Dortmund, need to carry their club form onto the international stage.

The striker has yet to add to his friendly strike against the Netherlands in September, and his stuttering form in front of goal for Italy only serves to highlight Mario Balotelli’s exclusion from the Azzurri set-up. The Liverpool star has yet to feature since Conte replaced Cesare Prandelli, and now a return cannot be too far away.

Simply put, Italy need more from those who have featured recently, a crop of players certainly good enough to deliver far greater performances than those witnessed this term. While the matches against Norway, Azerbaijan and Malta have seen them win nine points, they have also witnessed a failure to impress.

The new coach has only had four matches in which to imprint his identity on the Italian national team, but he also has yet to oversee a performance which captures the imagination, one which makes Azzurri fans believe in this team. Conte and Italy must show they can compete with the best, and there is no better time to start than with Croatia’s visit to San Siro next month.

Graziano Pelle scored on his debut as Italy remained perfect in Euro 2016 qualifying with a nervy 1-0 victory over Malta on Monday evening at the Ta' Qali National Stadium.

Pelle set Italy on their way with the opening goal in the 23rd minute, but despite hitting the woodwork four times and holding a numerical advantage for much of the match, the Azzurri were unable to score again.

Malta captain Michael Mifsud was sent off in the first half for a studs-up challenge on Alessandro Florenzi. But Italy's Leonardo Bonucci saw red for denying a goalscoring opportunity in the 73rd minute, setting up a tense finish.

#Marchisio: "We've got to try to settle the games earlier. It wasn't easy against a team that sat back and gave us no room at all"

— Italy ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ (@Azzurri_En) October 13, 2014

With the victory, Italy now have nine points through three qualifying matches and are level with Croatia atop the Group H table. The top two teams in each group advance directly to Euro 2016, with the third-place team guaranteed at least a spot in the play-offs.

As such, the Azzurri are in a strong position to qualify even with seven matches remaining. But coach Antonio Conte likely will not be satisfied with his team's performance for the second time in as many matches.

Last week, Italy needed a late Giorgio Chiellini winner to beat minnows Azerbaijan on home soil. On Monday, only one goal separated the four-time World Cup champions from Malta, a side that has never qualified for a major tournament.

4 - Antonio Conte is the first Italy head coach to win the first 4 games after Azeglio Vicini in 1987. Concrete. #MALITA

— OptaPaolo (@OptaPaolo) October 13, 2014

Up next for Italy is a showdown with Croatia on Nov. 16 in Milan. The winner of that match will take control of the group heading into 2015.

Following the close call against Azerbaijan, Italy started brightly in Malta. Before one minute had passed, the Azzurri had already created a chance, as Ciro Immobile volleyed past the post after pulling down a cross from Antonio Candreva.

Malta came close to taking a shock lead in the 15th minute as Clayton Failla fizzed a low shot just wide of the post after Italy failed to clear their lines.

Italy hit the woodwork twice in the 18th minute. First, Pelle directed a Manuel Pasqual cross onto the bar with a powerful header. Moments later, Chiellini headed off the outside of the post from a corner.

The visitors would not have to wait much longer to make the breakthrough. Pasqual swung in a corner from the right for Bonucci, who forced a save with a near-post header. The rebound bounced to Pelle, who swept in for 1-0 in the 23rd minute.

Malta's task soon became even more difficult. In the 27th minute, Mifsud drew a straight red card for an over-the-ball challenge on Florenzi.

Italy not often known for being very entertaining. Prandelli tried to change that, with mixed results. Conte doesn't really care about style

— Julian of Martinis (@JulianDM11) October 13, 2014

If anything, though, Malta only improved after going down to 10 men. Failla hit a free-kick off target from long distance in the 32nd minute, but although he struck his shot well, Italy goalkeeper Gianluigi Buffon appeared to have the top corner covered.

Leading 1-0 at half-time, Italy struck the woodwork again moments after the restart. This time, however, it was accidental, as an errant Candreva cross glanced off the top of the bar.

The Azzurri should have won a penalty in the 49th minute when Malta's Ryan Camilleri clipped Immobile's heel inside the box. Referee Ovidiu Hategan waved play on, denying the visitors a good chance to double their lead.

Another chance came from open play in the 53rd. Marco Verratti, who started in midfield ahead of veteran Andrea Pirlo, picked out Immobile with a fine lofted pass. However, Immobile could only head weakly at Malta goalkeeper Andrew Hogg, who saved easily.

The match took a dramatic turn in the 73rd minute as numerical parity was restored. There seemed to be little danger when the ball rolled free into Italy's half. But Malta's Andre Schembri tumbled under light contact from Bonucci, who was subsequently sent off for a last-man tackle.

After a delay of two minutes, Failla took the ensuing free-kick, hitting a deflected shot into Buffon's arms.

Malta's Michael Mifsud sent off on 28 minutes. This is the fastest red card EVER for a CAPTAIN in a Euro qualifier.

— Gracenote Live (@GracenoteLive) October 13, 2014

Conte responded by introducing defender Angelo Ogbonna for Pelle. And while the dismissal made for a nervous end to the match, the visitors were able to see out the final 10 minutes with relative ease.

But there was still time for another Italy chance. In stoppage time, substitute Sebastian Giovinco burst free on the right before shooting off the base of the far post. 

In truth, a late goal would have been harsh on Malta, who performed well throughout and will take pride from a resolute performance against their highly rated opponents.

Grades

Post-Match Reaction

Starting XI	Rating
Substitutes	Rating
Gianluigi Buffon	6.2
Matteo Darmian	6.6
Leonardo Bonucci	5.8
Giorgio Chiellini	7.8
Antonio Candreva	6.7
Alessandro Florenzi	6.5
Marco Verratti	7.7
Claudio Marchisio	7.2
Manuel Pasqual	7.4
Graziano Pelle	7.5
Ciro Immobile	6.7
Alberto Aquilani (for Florenzi, 59')	6.4
Sebastian Giovinco (for Immobile, 65')	6.9
Angelo Ogbonna (for Pelle, 76')	6.3

#Conte: "We didn't give them any chances to score. We've won 4 games out of 4."

— Italy ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ (@Azzurri_En) October 13, 2014

Italy will look to assert themselves over Group H minnows Malta in their Euro 2016 qualifying campaign. The group, also containing Bulgaria, Croatia, Norway and Azerbaijan, is one Italy will be expected to win. 

This game represents a great chance for manager Antonio Conte's squad to flex its attacking muscle. That's not exactly something the Azzurri have managed to do so far, despite opening the campaign with consecutive wins.

Before previewing the specifics of the game, here are the viewing and schedule details:

Date: Monday, October 13, 2014

Time: 7:45 p.m. (BST) / 2:45 p.m. (ET)

TV: Sky Sports 5—Red Button

Live Stream: Sky Go. ESPN3.

Preview

Conte will be eager for his team to produce its first comprehensive and assured performance of this qualifying campaign. Despite a winning start, Conte's squad hasn't exactly impressed, per Goal.com reporter Joe Hewison:

The Azzurri have two wins from two games in their qualifying campaign, but are looking to put together a more convincing performance

Italy coach Antonio Conte wants his team to avoid leaving games 'in the balance' ahead of its Euro 2016 qualifier in Malta on Monday.

The Azzurri have come in for criticism despite winning their opening two Group H games, laboring to a 2-1 victory against Azerbaijan in Palermo on Friday.

Malta should provide the opportunity for Conte's players to showcase more verve going forward, provided they want to take it. It's often been a trait of Italian football to simply do enough to earn results in qualifying and group formats.

The national team tends to save its best for the actual tournaments themselves. However, Italy's sluggish performances so far could also be attributed to Conte's natural defensive inclinations.

The former Juventus boss is nothing if not pragmatic. Even his most dominant Juve teams leaned more toward a conservative style of play.

Yet despite any supposed stylistic issues, Italy's players, especially those who played for him in Turin, believe Conte can achieve great things at the international level.

One Juve player who believes that is miniature forward Sebastian Giovinco. After the Azerbaijan game, he expressed his confidence in Conte during an interview with Rai Sport (h/t Forza Italian Football writer George Rinaldi): "It is a little weird as we are used to each other for the Bianconeri, but the Azzurri needed a figure like Conte. He hasn’t changed a bit from his days at Juve!"

As he often did at Juve, Conte will rely on midfield duo Andrea Pirlo and Claudio Marchisio to create and convert enough chances to secure a comfortable win. Even at 35, Pirlo hasn't lost his knack for playing defence-splitting passes.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RiqOmDiOgWQ

Those passes should connect with the runs of Marchisio, who has a real knack for late darts into the box. Once there, the 28-year-old is a crafty and deadly finisher who rarely wastes his chances.

But Conte will also hope Pirlo's passing radar and Marchisio's smart movement create space for Borussia Dortmund's pacy forward Ciro Immobile to consistently get behind the Malta defence.

While he relies on his veteran core, Conte can also turn to 21-year-old Paris Saint-Germain pass-master Marco Verratti, if he wants to freshen things up in midfield or give Pirlo a breather.

Predicted Final Score: Malta 0-4 Italy

Conte's team will still leave many skeptical, but the squad will certainly play better than in recent matches. The Azzurri's depth of quality in midfield will be too much for an overwhelmed Malta team to handle.

Monday's Euro 2016 qualifier against Malta is another game Italy should win by a large margin, but historically (and even recently) they have played almost mercifully, keeping the score as low as possible. 

They could have drawn against Azerbaijan if not for a late header from Giorgio Chiellini. They could have joined Spain and Germany this week as the victims of some of the biggest upsets we have ever seen in Euro qualifying.

Italy's defenders almost had as many shots as their strikers. Simone Zaza was particularly wasteful in his third appearance for his country with six shots and only one on target, according to WhoScored.com.

That's why things should change a little bit against Malta. The formation (3-5-2) could stay the same, but not necessarily the personnel.

Zaza and Ciro Immobile have played the last few games together up front to moderate success. It's time to try others.

Graziano Pelle has waited years to get a call back from La Nazionale. He went to the Netherlands and scored buckets of goals for Feyenoord and is now playing some good football with Southampton in the Premier League. Pelle got his call from coach Antonio Conte, and now he should get his start.

Pelle has upstaged Mario Balotelli as the premier Italian striker playing in England. The 29-year-old is a risk-taker, often attempting some difficult shots, but the risks often pay off. He is also a power forward, standing 6'4". 

"Graziano represents what I've always said," said Conte, per Goal.com. "Meritocracy leads to a place in the national team for a player who in two years has scored 50 goals."

Beside him up front should be Sebastian Giovinco, who hit the post and caused all sorts of problems in the little time he played against Azerbaijan. As Giovinco is nearly a foot shorter than Pelle, the two would offer a neat partnership with different characteristics: Giovinco with the speedy cuts and Pelle with the imposing presence.

Things could change or stay the same in midfield, but Marco Verratti should start if he is indeed healthy.

Many asked questions when Andrea Pirlo was invited back to the national team as to whether he would stand in Verratti's way. But the two can play together, as they did in the World Cup, forming a creative, deep-lying duo that could split the attention of any team facing them. 

Expect Claudio Marchisio to play as much as he wants with Italy, as he is one of the few midfielders who can go forward with confidence.

On the flanks, Italy should continue with Mattia De Sciglio on the left and Matteo Darmian on the right. The 21-year-old De Sciglio still makes mistakes, giving up the ball and making late tackles, but he is learning, and games against Malta and Azerbaijan allow those kind of mistakes.

As for Darmian, it is all about consolidating his spot in the starting XI for years to come. He is a versatile player, very much the kind of wing-back Conte likes to use, getting up and down to great effect.

The one thing that should not change is the defence. Leonardo Bonucci and Chiellini are modern defenders. They can score, kickstart a play and defend.

However, their third partner is not yet settled. Without Andrea Barzagli, the third man is often Andrea Ranocchia or Angelo Ogbonna. Either could play against Malta, but Ogbonna has made some progress to start this early Serie A season, while Ranocchia already got some playing time on Friday. 

Finally, there is Gianluigi Buffon. He demands the respect of the team and has the most caps among them, but perhaps it is time to play Salvatore Sirigu, who is nine years younger and a reliable goalkeeper himself for Paris Saint-Germain. Sirigu deserves a chance to start a few games in a row, and a game against Malta is not particularly one that demands the experience of a goalkeeper like Buffon.

It is also a game Italy should win without problems, but with this team that is usually never the case.

Giorgio Chiellini netted an unusual hat-trick as Italy defeated Azerbaijan 2-1 in Euro 2016 qualifying on Friday evening at the Stadio Renzo Barbera in Palermo.

Italy dominated possession throughout the match but made hard work of breaking down visiting Azerbaijan. The hosts finally went ahead in the 44th minute via a Chiellini header, but Azerbaijan equalised in the second half as Chiellini bundled the ball into his own net.

Facing an embarrassing draw on home soil, Italy found the winner in the 82nd minute as Chiellini headed in his third goal of the night—the all-important second for his side. Infostrada Sports shared a significant achievement Chiellina accomplished during the match:

Giorgio Chiellini becomes the first player to score a goal and an own goal in a Euro qualifier since Fernando Hierro for Spain in 1999

— Gracenote Live (@GracenoteLive) October 10, 2014

With the win, Italy maintained their 100 per cent record in Group H, which they top with Croatia on six points through two matches. 

Up next for Antonio Conte's side is a trip to Malta on Monday, another match the Azzurri will expect to win.

The top two teams in each group qualify automatically for the final Euro 2016 tournament in France.

As expected, Italy dominated possession from the start and quickly set out in search of the opening goal. But the home side probably did not expect to wait quite so long for the breakthrough.

The first big chance arrived in the sixth minute, as Ciro Immobile pounced on a defensive error and set up Claudio Marchisio, who blazed over the bar.

In the 26th minute, Andrea Pirlo picked out Leonardo Bonucci with a corner, but Bonucci's diving header was saved. Eleven minutes later, another Pirlo corner found Andrea Ranocchia, but Ranocchia placed his header over the bar.

Pirlo and Italy wouldn't be denied much longer, however. The opener finally arrived just before half-time, with the veteran playmaker prominently involved.

In the 44th minute, Pirlo curled in yet another corner from the left, picking out the late run of Chiellini. This time, though, Chiellini directed his header on target, past onrushing Azerbaijan goalkeeper Kamran Agayev.

Italy started the second half playing at a higher tempo and nearly found a quick reward in the 47th minute, when Simone Zaza's spectacular overhead kick bounced just wide of the post.

Azzurri goalkeeper Gianluigi Buffon saw his first action in the 66th minute, saving comfortably from Dimitrij Nazarov's long-distance shot.

Italy came close in the 68th minute as Zaza poked wide from close range following Matteo Darmian's cross.

Eight minutes later, the hosts paid for that miss as Azerbaijan scored an unlikely equaliser. The chance came from a corner, with Buffon failing to collect the ball in the box. Under pressure from an Azerbaijan attacker, Chiellini bundled into his own net to make it 1-1 in the 77th minute. Anthony Lopopolo highlighted the need for Buffon to improve:

Buffon has to do better. I think the time has come for Sirigu, I really do.

— Anthony Lopopolo (@sportscaddy) October 10, 2014

With that, Azerbaijan were on the verge of claiming a famous result on Italian soil. But within six minutes, the Azzurri had restored their lead.

Chiellini was once again the goalscorer, heading into the net at the correct end for the second time on the net. Sebastian Giovinco, who had entered the match as a substitute moments earlier, supplied the assist with a cross from the right.

Italy could breathe a sigh of relief, but the chances weren't finished. Immobile had a goal ruled out in the 85th minute after the referee correctly whistled Zaza for a foul in Azerbaijan's box. Giovinco then hit the crossbar in stoppage time with an excellent curling shot.

This time, though, the near-misses didn't cost Italy. After seeing out stoppage time uneventfully, the Azzurri held on for a hard-fought victory.

Grades

Starting XI	Rating
Substitutes	Rating
Gianluigi Buffon	6.7
Giorgio Chiellini	9.1
Leonardo Bonucci	7.2
Andrea Ranocchia	7.8
Matteo Darmian	7.5
Mattia De Sciglio	7.4
Andrea Pirlo	8.0
Claudio Marchisio	7.5
Alessandro Florenzi	6.6
Ciro Immobile	7.3
Simone Zaza	6.5
Alberto Aquilani (for Pirlo, 73')	6.8
Sebastian Giovinco (for Florenzi, 77')	8.2
Antonio Candreva (for Darmian, 80')	6.5

Post-Match Reaction

Italy defender Giorgio Chiellini (Rai Sport via Football Italia):

"It would’ve been a real shame, as we risked compromising a victory that was fully deserved,” he told Rai Sport following Italy’s 2-1 victory.

Considering how we’ve started this new era, it was only right to continue winning and the performance deserved it. We are hard-working and enthusiastic. We made some mistakes in our finishing today, but had the right attitude.

The ball emerged from nowhere and I couldn’t get out of the way. Oh well, I did everything tonight, good and bad!

Italy coach Antonio Conte (Rai Sport via Football Italia):

We need to be more clinical, more determined and we wasted too much tonight. Zaza and Immobile had chances to score, they combined and worked for the team. I am happy with their approach.

Today we saw a team that man-marked pretty much everyone. If Marchisio’s chance had gone in early on, that would’ve changed the game. Azerbaijan came here to stop us playing and hope to score from a set play. Their plan was actually working! We managed to scrape a small win, but deserved much more.