Italy - A fallen giant and a parting manager. Match made in heaven?

Italy

 Is, alongside Germany, the most successful team in Europe. Interestingly enough only one was a Euro in 1968 and it was in Italian soil. Always present in the big competitions since 1992, their performances have been irregular, combining finals with group stage eliminations.

 In 2012 they did a good job until the massacre in the final at the hands of the historic Spain

How they qualified

When Conte was appointed manager he brought his 3-5-2 and gave a sense of security in qualification that has been missing from Italy’s recent years. This resulted in a rekatively easy and invincible qualification. The quality of the play wasn’t brilliant but the results appeared, in good Italian style.

Squad

Goalkeepers: Gianluigi Buffon (Juventus), Federico Marchetti (Lazio), Salvatore Sirigu (Paris St-Germain).

Defenders: Andrea Barzagli (Juventus), Leonardo Bonucci (Juventus), Giorgio Chiellini (Juventus), Angelo Ogbonna (West Ham).

Midfielders: Federico Bernardeschi (Fiorentina), Antonio Candreva (Lazio), Matteo Darmian (Manchester United), Daniele de Rossi (Roma), Mattia de Sciglio (Milan), Stephan El Shaarawy (Roma), Alessandro Florenzi (Roma), Emanuele Giaccherini (Bologna), Thiago Motta (Paris St-Germain), Marco Parolo (Lazio), Stefano Sturaro (Juventus).

Forwards: Eder (Sampdoria), Ciro Immobile (Torino), Lorenzo Insigne (Napoli), Graziano Pelle (Southampton), Simone Zaza (Juventus).

Gianluigi Buffon

Club : Juventus (ITA)

Age : 38 years

One of the best, if not THE best, goalkeeper in the history of football. Made his debut in the national team with 19 years old, in 1997 and another 19 years gone he’s still the unquestionable no.1 for Italy.

 And it’s not for any respect for the history, because Buffon is, and will be until he retires, one of the best keepers in the world. That’s shown by the record he established this year, with the most consecutive minutes without conceding in Serie A (926).

 A leader, and an idol to most of his colleagues, he’ll be a safe port that his team can rely on.

Federico Bernardeschi

Club : Fiorentina (ITA)

Age : 21 years

A quick, strong, technically gifted, and hard-working left-footed player, with a good positional sense, Bernardeschi is regarded as one of Italy's most exciting and talented prospects; his preferred position is as a right winger, which allows him to cut in and shoot towards goal with his stronger left foot, although he is also capable of playing on the left. Due to his tactical versatility, stamina, and defensive work-rate, as well as his technical and physical attributes, he is also capable of playing as a second striker, as an attacking midfielder

Antonio Conte

Will be the Chelsea manager after the competition but that won’t make Conte deviate from his goal. When he was appointed manager for Juventus the team was sunk in mid-table, unable to regain its powerhouse status and in just one season made them champions again.

 The national team stint has been irregular, most due to the lack of talent of the Italian side, but he’ll try to employ the same spirit that made him champion in his country.

What to expect from them?

Conte will keep faithful to his 3-5-2 and will use the same the back line from Juventus. And that is the only certainty for the Italy side. Injuries and new players arrived to the national team and Conte will have to figure out a starting XI soon, because they face a very hard group at France.

 Italy is facing troubled times with a lack of talent without precedents but will want to keep their good record, with a consistent defense and a deadly counter.  

FIL's Starting XI prediction