After not being able to get past a goalless draw against the Germans, Italy manager Giampiero Ventura was actually happy with the result and his players' effort. The Italians proved they have what it takes to compete against a world champion, they hardly struggled to go head-to-head and pleased Ventura after the final whistle. The boss reminded everyone that this result is not negative for a friendly match.
Talking to RAI Sport, Ventura said: "This is the result, we have to accept it. Both sides were missing a few players, but they are the world champions and we allowed them practically nothing. Aside from hitting the post, we had four or five chances on the counter that could've been done better. I appreciated the approach, determination, the reading of certain situations. We played in Israel with 3-5-2, in Liechtenstein with 4-2-4 and here with 3-4-3, all with two days of training to prepare. I have to admire this team and anyone who can read between the lines will realize the future is far rosier than people think."
He added: "From the first friendly with France I wouldn't even wipe out the first half against Spain. I'd wipe out the 15 minutes against Macedonia [a pulsating, last-gasp 3-2 win] when we lost our identity and ran a huge risk. The first half against Spain was bad, but it taught me and the players a great deal. I think our start has been extremely positive. Spain [in World Cup qualifying on September 2, 2017] is a long way off and we have to focus on the next, far more important, game against Albania."
Photo credit: Italy