If Italy, rapidly establishing their potential-champion credentials, are to be at the prize-giving ceremonies at the end of Euro 2020, every man in blue will believe they earned their medal. Not the least of the impressive tactical plans put on show in the group phase by manager Roberto Mancini is his strategy of inclusiveness.
With a minute of normal time left on the clock in Rome on Sunday evening, Mancini made the last of his five substitutions in the win over Wales. He took off his goalkeeper Gianluigi Donnarumma for the long-serving deputy keeper Salvatore Sirigu. The change had nothing to do with fitness issues or concerns about how Italy were managing their 1-0 advantage. Mancini wanted Sirigu to have participated in the tournament.
It felt important that the 34-year-old should, if only for a few minutes, not feel like the perpetual, unused understudy. Sirigu has been that for longer than a very fine goalkeeper should really expect. His bad luck is to have coincided first with Gianluigi Buffon, the legendary and apparently ageless keeper whose Azzurri career stretched over 21 years and 175 caps, until 2018, and then with Donnarumma, who while still a teenager, had been earmarked very clearly as Buffon’s heir.
On Monday, Donnarumma was undergoing the last medical formalities to complete his move from AC Milan to Paris Saint-Germain and a contract that will make him, at 22, one of the best-paid goalkeepers in the history of club football. Sirigu was for a long, successful period first-choice at PSG, winning four Ligue 1 titles, though he never had the superstar status that will surround Donnarumma in Paris.
In Italy’s three victories at the Euros, Mancini has given game-time to 25 of his 26-man squad – second-reserve keeper Alex Meret may have to sit the tournament out, as he would expect – and was able to establish that sense of inclusion because of their strong position at the top of Group A.
Only three players from the starting XI against Switzerland four days earlier were retained against Wales. But for at least an hour, Mancini watched an Italy with the same speed, invention and vigour that had impressed in the first two games, 3-0 wins over Turkey and the Swiss.
“I was very pleased to be able to change eight players and see the team still play very well,” Mancini said. “We could have scored more, but Wales were very defensive, with everyone behind the ball.”
Down to 10 men for the last 40 minutes following Ethan Amapadu’s red card, the Welsh, needing a narrow-scoreline defeat to hold their runners-up position in the group, put numbers into protecting their goal and helping out their wing-backs, who had a torrid evening against the inventive Federico Chiesa and Federico Bernardeschi.
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Wales 0 Italy 1: player ratings
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WALES PLAYER RATINGS: Danny Ward – 7. Not as conspicuous as in previous games, but was sharp to keep out Belotti twice in the second half. Getty Images -
Ethan Ampadu – 6. Did well to deflect a Chiesa shot to safety rather than into his own net, but was later shown red for stamping on Bernadeschi’s shin. PA -
Joe Rodon – 7. Beaten worryingly easily by Emerson in the first half, not that it cost Wales anything, and generally led Wales’ resistance pluckily thereafter. EPA -
Chris Gunter – 6. The Charlton Athletic defender nearly registered a first Wales goal but headed just past the apex from a James corner. Later booked for a foul which helped his side as Italy were breaking. AFP -
Connor Roberts – 7. It said much about the meagre pickings Wales had that Roberts’ long throws in the direction of Moore represented some of their best attacking threats. Tenacious in open play. Reuters -
Joe Allen – 5. Made the cheap foul which led to the Pessina goal. Booked for a similar offence on Belotti after the interval. Outclassed by Jorginho and Veratti. AFP -
Joe Morrell – 6. The Luton Town midfielder’s loose pass presented Italy with a chance midway through the first half, but went unpunished. Sacrificed in favour of Moore in the second half. AFP -
Neco Williams – 6. Thwarted Bernadeschi with a block early on, but saw passes flying over his head with too great a frequency for comfort. EPA -
Gareth Bale – 6. Will be sporting a few bruises courtesy of Bastoni. When he did find himself some space, he lashed a volley over when he should have tested Donnarumma. EPA -
Aaron Ramsey – 6. Deployed as a false nine from the start after Moore was rested. Did not have much joy, but did manage to smuggle his way through in the second half, only for the chance to fizzle out. AFP -
Daniel James – 5. Lucky to avoid punishment for a clumsy tackle in the first half – especially given what later happened to Ampadu. Did not get much change out of his marker Toloi. PA -
SUBS: Kieffer Moore – 7. Brought on shortly after the Ampadu red card, having initially been kept out of the starting XI as he was carrying a yellow card. Wales immediately looked more threatening. AP -
Harry Wilson – NA. Tried to raise the tempo in the Wales midfield, and received a kick for his efforts which earned Pessina a yellow card. EPA -
Ben Davies – NA. Kept out of the firing line as he was carrying a yellow card into the game, but did see a little game time at the end. Reuters -
David Brooks – NA. Got on just before the end as Wales manager Robert Page did his best to get a number of players a feel for competitive action. EPA -
Dylan Levitt – NA. Brought on as part of three-player substitution along with Davies and Brooks as the time ticked down. Reuters -
ITALY PLAYER RATINGS: Gianluigi Donnarumma – 6. Few players in this tournament enjoy quite such a consistently easy ride as the goalkeeper behind this formidable Italy backline. EPA -
Rafael Toloi – 7. Blunted the threat of James, and might have scored, too, when he threw himself bravely at a header from a corner in the second half. Getty Images -
Leonardo Bonucci – 7. Untroubled throughout the first half, and was then withdrawn at half time when Italy were 1-0 up and cruising. EPA -
Alessandro Bastoni – 7. In for Giorgio Chiellini, and brought plenty of his senior colleague’s toughness, notably when he flattened Bale in the first half. Booked for felling the Real Madrid forward again at the start of the second half. Getty Images -
Emerson Palmieri - 6. So untroubled was he, he even wandered into a striker’s position at one point, and found himself well placed to shoot from Jorginho’s pass, only to see his shot blocked. AP -
Jorginho – 8. Seemed to be working to a plan with long, angled passes over the Wales full backs. Might have had an assist or two, as well, if his forwards were sharper. Getty Images -
Marco Verratti – 8. Won the free kick then earned the ensuing assist as Pessina opened the scoring. Probed cleverly with a range of long passes. AP -
Matteo Pessina – 8. Fluked an effort on goal which required a save from Ward, but was fully aware of what was required for his clever finish for the only goal of the game. Might have had another straight after. AFP -
Federico Bernardeschi – 7. Struck a post following an elaborate free kick routine. Victim of the foul by Ampadu which saw the Wales player sent off. Reuters -
Federico Chiesa – 6. Lashed a shot towards goal, which was deflected wide by Ampadu. Went searching for a goal, but found his route to the net blocked by a massed Wales defence. EPA -
Andrea Belotti – 7. Ever willing, even of he did look laboured at times. Near to getting onto the end of a cross early on, then flashed a good chance wide. Found Ward in his way twice in the second half. EPA -
SUBS: Francesco Acerbi – 6. On for Bonucci at half time, he was lucky not to give up a goal when he lost Ramsey. Inches away from heading in at a corner. AFP -
Bryan Cristante – NA. One of four second-half substitutes brought on by Roberto Mancini, as the game became like testimonial for the home team. Getty Images -
.Giacomo Raspadori – NA. Given a taste of the atmosphere with Italy counting down the minutes to another win. Getty Images -
Gaetano Castrovilli – NA. Looked delighted to have another cap and a match fee with the game all but won. AFP -
Salvatore Sirigu – NA. Bizarrely introduced for Donnarumma in injury time, even though the first choice goalkeeper had not even had cause to get his gloves dirty by that point. PA
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The two Federicos had come into the Italy side for Lorenzo Insigne and Domenico Berardi, both of whom have been impressive. The goalscorer against Wales, Matteo Pessina, and the midfielder Marco Verratti, who set up Pessina’s goal, had come in for the dynamic Nicolo Barella and Manuel Locatelli, who scored twice against Switzerland.
Mancini now has genuine dilemmas about what constitutes his best front six ahead of Italy’s last-16 match at Wembley on Saturday.
“There are so many players who deserve to be involved,” said Mancini, "but it’s better to have many available than to be forced into choices.”
Injuries have shaped some of Mancini’s picks in defence, where right-back Alessandro Florenzi withdrew at half time against Turkey and captain Giorgio Chiellini went off with a muscle strain against Switzerland. But there is no crisis at the back. Italy extended their run without having conceded a goal past 1,000 minutes against Wales. They are now unbeaten for 30 matches, equalling the all-time Azzurri record.
All of which makes Mancini, the former Manchester City and Inter Milan manager, a very popular man. At the Stadio Olimpico his name was cheered as loudly as any Italian’s in the preambles to the kick-off against Wales.
His players seem to warm to him, too. Pessina, the Atalanta midfielder, hurtled towards the technical area after tucking away his neat volley in the first half, to celebrate up close and personal with the manager, the coaching staff and the players on the Italian bench – all of them now feeling very much part of the adventure.
