I've been keeping tabs on the numbers of Italian players the last couple of years. There is no ********ing way this is sustainable if Italy are to field a competitive national football team. Might as well stop playing football and all resources into tennis. Jannik Sinner dropping to #2 in the ATP Rankings simply cannot go unchecked. I forgot to grab the numbers at the close of last winters transfer market. Tell me which nations football has suffered more with "modern football" because I cannot think of one. December 30, 2023: 63.3% are foreigners. September 15, 2024: 65.7% are foreigners. September 16, 2025: 66.8% are foreigners. ("growth decree" abolished December 31, 2023)
- Vicario played in Spurs' win. Udogie played the last 20 Minutes. - Calafiori subbed off at the 90th Miinute at Athletic Club.
Absolutely true, Gravina has sold out to the clubs. Until real rules are enforced to limit foreigns we have no hope. Those fans in the Juve stadium could care less about the fact Juve only started 2 Italians. Marco the half brain from IF TV was on CBS yesterday discussing the downfall and if Italy won't qualify, yet he won't mention the biggest reason why.
Serie A is nothing more than a human smuggling operation. Pick up Balkan and African players, bring them along and if 1 in 100 players takes it to the next level, sell them on.
yes and no if you go back to the 2000s specifically 2006 Juve often had very few Italians starting. but for sure it is a problem. the english clubs are the only model we can follow because only Serie A and the EPL are so foriegn heavy and that won't change so the solution is to have a domestic rule which England does have which is why teams like City and Arsenal cultivated Saka and Foden etc and the other option is to reform the academy and try our best to send players abroad to Holland Belgium France Portugal when they are young where they will play and hopefully return.
Italy famously banned all foreign players after losing to Korea in the 1966 world cup and after nearly 30 years at that point of international failure at every tournament (yes this is not our worst period) and it resulted in Serie A and Italian clubs nose diving for many years. I don't think there will ever be drastic measures taken. Italy is about nepotism and personal above the collective and winning at all costs. We have seen projects like Monza where they tried to implement a rule of Italian players ahead of everyone fail and result in relegation. Unfortunately there is no short term fix. Players need to be willing to move abroad to leagues that suit their level. There are teams that would want all these under 21 players and a lot of them are already playing abroad. Unfortunately Serie B is just not strong enough. It has improved a lot compared to the nadir of the 2010s there are a good crop of teams in Serie B so the italians there are getting experience but it's still not a high enough level. If you play in Belgium or Holland or Portugal at least you play conference league or europa league games and learn to play at a higher tempo. Even Gnonto and Kolesho playing in the Championship is better for their development than Serie B because at least the Championship is played at a fast pace. Forcing Milan Juventus Inter Roma to play young Italians that don't have experience is only going to sink them. We have a good crop of 90 or so players playing in the top 5 leagues on decent to good clubs more if we want to stretch who we consider a quality player getting good experience that isnt just a GK or a journey man but we need to double those numbers and get all these under 21 under 19 under 17 players at clubs across Europe. Serie A wont save the FIGC the players the agents and the federation need to use Europe as a whole to do it.
Atalanta lucky not to be down 4-0 within the first few minutes, not sure what juric is thinking with this high line.
3421 possession against a 433 just dosen't work if the opponents have quality. Same issue Tudor is having although his issue is that he's asking his defenders to sit deep and there's just all this space. Its really hard two have a two man midfield against a 3 man midfield. It's a champagne system. You see the same issue with Amorin at United. Better off playing a 352 or some kind of 442 like Conte is now with this 4141/4411. Gasperini could make it work in EL because he could overwhelm the opposition but against PSG no chance. In other news Raspadori with the start in Simone's 442 double false 9 system and had a great assist on Athletics goal in the first half. Pio gets the start for Inter hasn't been too involved but it's nice to see him out there getting CL minutes.
Pio looked really good in the second half he's fantastic playing with his back to goal almost all his first touch passes came off. Worked really hard. All great signs. I have no doubt that he will become a quality player.
I was only able to see the highlights but Pio could have easily had 2 or 3 assists and was putting goals on a plate for his teammates. His back to the goal game is very strong and he's only 20.
Was coming here to post exactly this. He's still so young and growing into his body -- but the way he holds up play and his IQ for positioning is so impressive. So unselfish too as he was setting up teammates all over the place today in dangerous positions. Busted his ass pressing the opposition, as well. He's got so many of the intangibles you want from a young striker. He just needs his minutes and he will most certainly pop. We talked about it a few pages ago, but we have some very nice attacking options in the chamber for the present and future.
For all the people wanting us to play a 3-5-2 "INTER" style: Pio - Kean Di Marco - Tonali - Rovella - Barella - Cambiaso Bastoni - Buongiorno - Calafiori Gigio At home watching on TV: D. Maldini
Yes with Kean and Retegui being only 25 and 26 and Pio and Camarda coming through we should not have a huge issue. Balotelli and Immobile were both very promising but from 2006 until now there was a clear gap at the CF position. He is already ahead of where Scamacca was and far ahead of Lucca but at 25/26 they also could still have their say so i think there are a clear group of 6 strikers going forward that we can look to depending on form experience fitness etc.
My issue with the 352 is it still puts a lot of pressure on the back 3 depending on the opposition and how the coach interprets it but the funny thing is Inter have had the best defence in the CL the last few years statistically despite Barca and PSG opening them up. So it can work and Batsoni can defend in the right set up at an elite level. With Kean Retegui and Pio and Bastoni Di Marco Barella it would almost be a shame to not play a 352. The only other option is a 442 where you have a back 3 when attacking and an extra B2B midfielder instead of two wide midfielders so it's not exposed in midfield. But again going back to the defense if Gatusso interprets the 352 or 442 like Conte we are fine if he does like Spalletti then it dosent work and makes you more vulnerable not less. "Internazionale have now kept 24 clean sheets in the UCL since manager Simone Inzaghi first took charge of them in the competition in 2021-22 – five more clean sheets than any other side in this time."
Di Lorenzo is cooked at the top level. I even thought in 2020 he was a bit shaky but it's just not his level. If he was a great defender then his mobility wouldnt be a big issue but he's not so as he's aged he's declined rapidly not unlike Florenzi did as he went past 30.
DiLo continuing to fall off a cliff, and the lack of true RBs in the pipeline who are ready to play, just reinforces why it's best to likely go with a 352. We can at least get away with Cambiaso or Politano at RWB with a RCB for more cover. DiLo and DiMarco are just not ideal defensive options against any quality opponent. Feels like Groundhog Day, as it was the same at the Euro 2024, and nothing has changed in 2025. Going with those two in a back four is just lunacy.