Luciano Spalletti will keep on as Italy coach regardless of the Azzurri’s humbling elimination from Euro 2024, the nation’s soccer chief stated on Sunday.
Italy was dumped out of the Euros on the final 16 stage after being soundly crushed 2-0 by Switzerland in Berlin on Saturday night time, however a disastrous title defence has not value Spalletti his job.
“I’m pragmatic, it’s not possible to resolve issues by abandoning a long-term challenge or by abandoning the coach and gamers who’ve accompanied us on this challenge,” Gabriele Gravina, head of Italy’s soccer federation, advised reporters.
Italy got here into the Euros as reigning champion however flopped in Germany below Spalletti, who changed Euro 2020 winner Roberto Mancini final summer time.
“Spalletti has our religion, he has to have our religion, he must get to work, as in 60 days the Nations League begins,” added Gravina.
“We are able to’t think about {that a} (Kylian) Mbappe or Cristiano Ronaldo will immediately come on the scene, so we should be affected person.”
Learn | Italian coach Spalletti takes accountability for early exit
Spalletti took the Italy job with an enormous quantity of credit score after main Napoli to a historic Serie A title however has had a dreadful match, chopping and altering line-ups and formations and railing at journalists.
The 65-year-old stated earlier than the match that he would carry the perfect model of himself into the most important job of his lengthy and eventful teaching profession.
Requested if he had achieved that, Spalletti stated: “Clearly not, as a result of if not I might be right here speaking about one thing completely different.”
“The match final night time introduced us again right down to zero, and it’s from there that we have to begin once more,” stated Spalletti.
Italy begins its Nations League marketing campaign towards France in Paris on September 6, and likewise faces Belgium and Israel in Group A2.