Report: Fagioli call-up widened the rift between Spalletti & Italy squad

A report in the Italian press claims Luciano Spalletti has a poor rapport with the national team squad, and calling up Nicolo Fagioli was one of the decisions that didn’t sit well with the group.

The Azzurri endured a torrid Euro 2024 campaign culminating in an elimination from the Round of 16 at the hands of Switzerland.

The defending champions put up one of their most hollow displays in recent memory in the 0-2 defeat, leaving fans and observers alike to question their determination.

According to La Repubblica via IlBianconero, Spalletti and the players weren’t on good terms throughout the tournament.

The former Roma, Inter and Napoli coach found himself without a leader following the retirements of Giorgio Chiellini and Leonardo Bonucci.

This prompted the rise of small factions in the locker room, which took its all on the team’s chemistry. The source talks about a lack of commitment on the pitch, and possibly even in training which lacked intensity according to some players.

Moreover, the report mentions Fagioli’s call-up as one of the decisions that fueled the rift between Spalletti and the squad.

That’s because some Italy players saw the Juventus midfielder as a ‘snitch’ who informed on Sandro Tonali in the infamous betting case, although this isn’t true, as the source tells it.

Fagioli served a seven-month ban and managed to return just in time to join the Azzurri. On the other hand, Tonali’s suspension has yet to expire.

The report also mentions Spalletti’s sudden tactical changes and his insistence on deploying Giovanni Di Lorenzo as other decisions that irked the Italy players.