Italy preview: Gli Azzurri seek redemption for 2022
As we move closer and closer to the IPCH European Championships 2024, Claus Vestergaard previews each team in order of the World Ranking List. In this edition, he shares his insights on the Italian national team.
Italy have been a bit of a mystery lately. Historically a great team, world champions as late as 2018, they missed the semi finals at the 2022 world cup. In fact their tournament ended before it really got a chance to get going. Eight disastrous minutes in the opening game saw them blow a 4-2 lead, losing 4-5 on Jan Schäublins' game winner with 12 seconds left.
Only an upset win against the dominant Dutch could now save their title chances. They actually came pretty close, only down one goal with 10 minutes to go it was still all to play for. But the controversial sending off of Patrick Granzotto for tampering with settings on his chair after being selected for an in-game speed test, sealed their fate, as the Dutch scored twice in quick succession putting the game out of reach for the Italians. Italy protested the game, claiming Granzotto simply and by reflex turned on the cooling fans on the chair, not changing any speed settings. The appeal was ultimately unsuccessful and that was that. Would Italy have beaten the Dutch at full strength? Seems unlikely. The real damage was done during those fateful 8 minutes in the opening game.
Such a collapse is out of character for a team that has been dominated by the excellent, deliberate, grinding, and calculating Claudio Comino, who is usually a very steady hand at the tiller. Comino has called an end to his international career, so Italy will be a very different team to what we are used to seeing. The generational change from the 2018 veteran-laden team, was already under way in 2022, with Granzotto and goalkeeper Roberto Graziano in particular showing great promise. Keep an eye out for the rejuvenation to continue with promising youngster Leonardo Catania joining the squad. If he can deliver in his first major tournament the Italians have some upside.
Despite their poor showing in 2022, Italy were seeded second in the draw for the upcoming tournament, allowing them to avoid the group of death with The Netherlands, Germany and Switzerland. All the Italians will have to do in group B is beat the Finns in the group and a semi-final berth will be all but guaranteed. For reference Italy beat the Finns twice (4-2, 9-2) during the INJET tournament in April.
Once in the semi final, anything can happen, and with a rejuvenated team, Italy might very well, knick a place in the final.