The wingers sprint forward like Ferraris. The midfielders are just as capable at scoring as the forwards. And the reserves look like starters.
A new-look Italy is impressing with its offensive flair at the European Championship.
Midfielder Manuel Locatelli scored two goals Wednesday and the Azzurri beat Switzerland 3-0 to become the first team to reach the last 16 at Euro 2020, and they did it with a game to spare.
They also did it with their 10th consecutive victory.
“I’m fortunate to have great players who enjoy playing soccer, like to have fun and take some risks — which is the essence of soccer,” Italy coach Roberto Mancini said.
As usual — and perhaps the only characteristic carried on from Italy teams of the past — the defense was impenetrable.
It’s quite a turnaround for a team that failed to qualify for the 2018 World Cup.
Italy extended its unbeaten streak to 29 matches — one shy of the team record — and kept its 10th clean sheet in that run.
Mancini, however, suggested that Italy still trails France, Portugal and Belgium on the list of tournament favorites.
“One of them is the World Cup champion, one is the European champion and one has been first in the ranking for quite a while,” Mancini said. “They’ve been shaped over time and it’s only normal that they’re ahead of us. But anything can happen in soccer. It’s not such a sure thing.”