National Italian-Croatia is the first real test of the era Italy Conte – FIRSTonline

If it were not for the rain that has fallen on Milan in the last few days, you might as well talk about trial by fire. But given the weather situation (which should improve today) it is better to call it “just” a difficult game, the more complicated era Conte. Most probably Italy-Croatia will not decide anything in terms of standings (with the new rules imposed by Platini pass the first two in the group and the best third) but it’s still a good look to see where we stand. The waste of the World have been buried under the influence count, so far able to win all four races (and a friendly three officers), even though we do not know whether permanently or not.

With all due respect to Norway, Azerbaijan and Malta, Croatia is a very different thing, and not just because the beat 72 years. The last (and only) victory in fact dates back to April 5, 1942, at the Genoa 4-0 with goals from Gabetto, Ferraris, and Biavati Grezar. Then the darkness: 3 wins Croatian (the last in Livorno in 2006) and 4 draws (the most recent being the 1-1 Euro 2012). Kabbalah in part to intimidate the opponent, although this is not a word much loved by Antonio Conte. “We must not be afraid, just respect – he pointed out the head coach at a press conference. – We have to be very good at being held and compact that it does not. We will be working as a team, we have studied well, we know how to put them in trouble.

Going down the field in order to make our country proud. ” We hope everyone despite the general conditions are not the best. Question of weather (yesterday’s heavy rain has created many hardships so that the Blues were forced to cancel the workout at the San Siro), but also injuries and suspensions. At the sums Ogbonna has been added to Balotelli, forced to leave the retreat from inflammation to the pubic area. “He could not work out, it was useless to keep him here,” he glossed Conte, who will have to put off until better times the debut of Mario. The real emergency, however, concerns the defense, even without the suspended Bonucci. The coach will not change tactical planning, then Darmian will scale alongside Chiellini and Ranocchia for a rearguard really unusual. Absences also affect the midfield, where there are no Pirlo and Verratti’s up to Candreva do the interior along with De Rossi and Marchisio and De Sciglio and Pasqual on the wings to launch the attack duo Building-Zaza. “We face Croatia with some curiosity – the thought of Captain Buffon. – We would like particularly to this challenge because we want to make a good impression and show the Italians that the national team is still “.

But the Croats have no intention of making the sacrifices. First in Group H with us 9 points, men Kovac want to gamble at par. “Italy is encouraged, but we will try to win at least a point,” he said yesterday, suggesting that training will field a rear-wheel drive, enhanced, however, by the stars Modric, Mandzukic, Olic and Perisic. It will be a tough match, the first sign of age Conte, as evidenced by the more than 50 thousand tickets sold. A great opportunity to really turn the page, to grasp at all costs.