Luciano Spalletti is confident Italy can live up to expectations as they aim to win a second consecutive Euros title. (More Football News)
Roberto Mancini led Italy to Euro 2020 glory during a💯n impressive 37-game unbeaten run as they beat England 3-2 on penalties 🐠at Wembley Stadium.
Since taking over, Spalletti led Italy to qualification fo🧸r the tournament and is unbeaten💝 in six matches.
Now t🐠rying to emulate his predecessor's success, the 65-year-old is confident his squad have what it takes to become just the second team to win back-to-back editions of the tournament.
"For any child that goes out every evening and sweats, grazes their🤪 knees, then we are their heroes, what they dream of," he said.
"It's up to us to live up to that. Giants and heroes don't go out with fear; they go out wit🦩h passion and belief. Every one of us needs to ensure they have their toolbox and can screw or unscrew what they need to.
"We have our own brand of football, and need to keep faith in it, but sometimes your opponeꦦnts stop you. That's football! But I'm confident we can impose our game plan."
Spalletti also confirmed Nicolo Barella could be in contention for Italy's opener against Albania afte🍒r overcoming a muscle injury that kept him out of their warm-up friendlies.
"Yesterday he did🍎 e🔥verything," Spalletti added. "We will see what happens today. We will see how he feels.
"But as of ye🥂sterday evening, everything suggests that he will be available for selection."
Gianluigi Donnarumma was the hero in the Euro 2♒020 final, saving Bukayo Saka's pe♏nalty in the shootout to ensure victory for the Azzurri.
Now captaining the side, the goalkeeper is hoping to get off 𒁃to a positive start against Albania to avoid any early nerves over their fate in the competition.
"This match is the biggest banana skinꦯ in our group," Donnarumma said. "We have to be 100 per cent switched on. Albania have a lot of pace, a lot of threat. This match will be hugely important.
"When you prepare ꦐto embark on a competition like this, then you can only be motivated. We start in the same spirit of three years ago, and we will try to rꦕecreate the magic of 2021. The survivors of three years ago will certainly give the newer players a few pointers.
"If we win tomoꦡrrow night, it will be a big step to qualification. Winning will put us in a strong position; not winning would put us under pressure."
