Former Chelsea boss Antonio Conte has revealed how Italy can beat England in the finals of the UEFA Euro 2020 at Wembley on Sunday night.
In an interview with Gazzetta dello Sport, as relayed by Transfer Market Web, former Chelsea manager Antonio Conte has given a piece of advice to the Italy national team on how they can get the better of England.
Italy and England will square off against each other in the finals of the UEFA Euro 2020 on Sunday night at Wembley. The Azzurri were made to sweat in the semi-finals by Spain and had to come through via a penalty shootout. England, meanwhile, beat Denmark 2-1 after extra time to book a place in the main event of the continental tournament.
Playing at home, in front of a raucous Wembley crowd, the Three Lions might have the slightest of advantages. But ex-Chelsea boss Conte, who also had a stint as the manager of the Italian national team, has suggested how Roberto Mancini & co. can get the better of their opposition on Sunday’s blockbuster clash.
“A weak spot for England is that if their defense is pressed when building out from the back, they aren’t as good as Spain at escaping the press. However, if you are ultra-attacking in your press and they do escape, then watch out for their pace upfront. Again, this is when Italy must show their experience at reading the various moments of the game,” Conte said.
The former Chelsea manager also touched upon how England’s midfield duo of Kalvin Phillips and Declan Rice refrained from making vertical passes, which could be another avenue that his national team could exploit. “There are two very physical midfielders like Rice and Phillips, who bring balance, but very few vertical passes, often going for the simple option,” he added.
At the same time, though, Conte was effusive in his praise for England captain Harry Kane. The ex-Italy manager highlighted how the striker’s playmaking abilities make him a threat, but insisted that if he were the coach, he would want the Tottenham superstar to always stay in and around the box.
“Many praise Harry Kane for his ability to go get the ball and play with the team, such as with the equaliser against Denmark. Of course, he’s good at that too, but it’s in the box where he’s clinical, and as a coach, I would always keep him in there, because he’s devastating,” he said.
Italy and England have arguably been the best two teams at the Euros and are deserving of their spots in the final. An exciting encounter will be on the cards when the two teams collide on Sunday to be crowned the champions of Europe.