Luckily Ciro Immobile will take care of averting the complete "debacle" of the Azzurri and bringing Italy closer to the minimum goal set in view of the desirable participation in Russia 2018: the infamous play-offs, a ruthless formula from inside or outside. Only three days ago, despite knowing the limits of our national team but perhaps above all being aware of the almost inhuman strength of the Spanish red furies, we had, I would rightly add, as our goal the head of the group and the consequent direct passage to the next world competition in Russia. This, however, included going to conquer the Bernabeu, consequently relegating Spain to the unlikely role of "second". We would have sent them, to their home, to the play-offs and we would have celebrated absolute supremacy, launching a warning to the football world: Italy is serious and is aiming for the 5th World Cup. Then, on Saturday night, while many of us were still wrapped in the most beautiful of sports dreams just mentioned, a bitter alarm clock made of three "gongs" sounds that brings us back to reality. Spain simply confirms what it is: the strongest, and annihilates us with a 3-0 which, in addition to not admitting replies, sends the Italian team into a sort of depression that in reality had no reason to exist but which also revealed yesterday in front of the modest Israel, it even risks making us miss the play-off train, with dramatic consequences clearly only sporting.
The reactions to the Madrid defeat could be of two kinds. The first, the one hoped for by the whole of Italy in football, provided for an "angry" response, the one expected from those who, despite being defeated by an objectively better opponent, still feel strong and affirm this strength with the desire, the determination and the determination of those who fight a battle to the death. The second possible reaction, the one that all of us feared but which unfortunately we were perhaps ready for, was the daughter of that depression mentioned above and would have involved nervousness, anxiety and fear, feelings due to an underlying insecurity that appears undeniable. Clearly this second eventuality has taken over, also demolishing this residual dream of Italy of football, a dream certainly more achievable than the one previously illustrated, the dream of a reaction that if someone was able to see, to most people it appeared too shy. . Even Israel, therefore, certainly not one of the best national football teams in circulation, manages to harness the Azzurri thanks to a good organization, which without the difficulties that would have been expected from a meeting between two teams of such different thickness, are able to keep at bay Italy and even try some dangerous sortie. The Azzurri therefore offer us, in the evening that should have been that of the redemption, a bad performance made up of a slow and predictable game, an unequivocal attitude of low motivation of the interpreters but probably also of inadequacy of a module (4-2-4) that in the opinion of many it should be revised or at least adapted and made dynamic, as modern football now requires. According to the coach Ventura, who even says he is happy with the growth that his team would have shown in the second half, the important thing was the result and the result, albeit skimpy and for most of the match in doubt, has arrived. We will spare you the match report and close as all the greatest radio commentators used to do in the past, who without the aid of images were able with their story to make us experience sporting events as if they were there, in front of our eyes.
From the Mapei Stadium-Città del Tricolore in Reggio nell'Emilia, in front of 16.000 rather bored spectators, that's really all. Italy beats Israel 1-0 thanks to Immobile's goal in the seventh minute of the second half.
GB
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