The coronation at the Euro was therefore only an anomaly, marvelous but misleading. This is the general tone that we perceive in the transalpine press this Friday, the day after the pitiful defeat against North Macedonia (0-1), which deprives the “Nazionale”, already absent in Russia in 2018, from a second consecutive World Cup. “Everyone at home”, headline La Repubblicathe major center-left daily considering that the rout on Thursday evening in Palermo marks “the farewell to a Nazionale lost forever”.
La Stampa castigates a “disastrous performance” by Roberto Mancini’s players who only shot five out of 32 on target while the Macedonians scored on one of their four shots of the match. For the major Milanese newspaper, the elimination of Italy, quadruple world champion (1934, 1938, 1982, 2006) and reigning European champion, announces “a change of generation” and a “refoundation”.
No wonder, raise The Gazzetta dello Sport : “the Euro won was a happy parenthesis between years of disappointment in the selection and in the clubs”, at half mast sportingly and economically.
Roberto Mancini should stay
“Our football is paying a huge price: it still lacks a vision and there is no courage, continues the sports daily. Putting Mancini on trial would be a mistake, it’s the whole Calcio system that needs to be reviewed. “In office since 2018, Mancini should also remain in his post. The coach was extended until 2026 last year and he seems protected by his victory at the Euro.
“The hour of responsibilities” has come, ton yet Il Corriere dello Sport. Despite the absences (the injured striker Federico Chiesa in particular), his manager, Ivan Zazzaroni, a close friend of the Italian coach, finds no extenuating circumstances in him: “Mancini was the architect of the European triumph, Mancini is the first person responsible for this failure.
Years of free fall
“No surprises”, recalls Il Messaggero, “but the consequence of years of free fall”. “We haven’t won as a club in European competitions since 2010, such a long drought unprecedented in the history of European cups”.
“Over the past 15 years, Serie A has collapsed. The fall of Juve after the Calciopoli affair [scandale d’arbitrage en 2006] then the disengagements of Berlusconi and Moratti with the Milanese weakened the great historical clubs and undermined the balance, weakening the whole championship, ”details the Roman daily.
In a statement, Serie A boss Lorenzo Casini called for “serious reflection and a profound change of system”.