Italia v Turkey tonight. From ageing veterans to young talents. Which is the real national team?

Let’s make this clear to avoid any misunderstanding: we’re right behind the national team. And we hope that tonight in Bologna against Turkey (8.45 pm), they’ll play with their heads held high, just as they did in Paris (1–1) and, before that, against the same Turkey side (1–4).

With the tricolour waving and us ready to rally round, there’s one question we need to ask: what if we all just calmed down a bit? Granted, we’re talking about football, not the fate of the world, but we should try to keep a bit of balance. Otherwise, we’ll come across as madmen who change their minds with every breath of wind. A bit like Donald Trump, with one difference, though: he enjoys playing the madman to throw his interlocutors off balance and achieve his objectives. When it comes to football, however, we’ve completely lost our bearings. Anything goes – and the opposite of everything. No opinion lasts longer than 24 hours, just like milk when it’s really fresh.

Let’s not forget: a week ago, following the defeat to Belgium, the obituary was already written. The national team was by then regarded as a side in disarray. With inadequate players and no pride. And with a manager, corrupted by Arab money, who should be sent to sit on another bench: the one in the public gardens. Now, after two matches, we’re champions once again. “A Great Italia”, ready to kick off a new winning era, and so on and so forth.

The usual Martian, who’d accidentally landed on Earth, would say: “I don’t quite understand – are you always talking about the same team? And the same manager?” The Martian wouldn’t be entirely wrong. We used to be a bunch of cocky old has-beens; now we’re a brave group of young talents. But where on earth did Kayode and Scalvini come from? And where were Vergara and Sebastiano Esposito? Had we hidden them in the cellar?

Now: in a country like ours, which is always driving away its best young talent, any change of heart is welcome. Credit to Mancini for bringing them back on track by letting them enjoy themselves and relieving them of excessive pressure. However, a degree of caution is needed. Let’s not get carried away. Admittedly, we finally played well against France, matching them blow for blow and not falling apart after that magnificent free-kick from Olise, an extraordinary talent capable of driving any defence mad. It must be acknowledged, however, that the football gods – through Donnarumma’s incredible saves – gave us a helping hand. And whilst it’s true that Italia had their chances in the first half (Kean’s miss was unbelievable), we mustn’t forget that France were without Mbappé, who’s certainly not the least of their stars. And then, in the closing stages, they were reduced to ten men following Upamecano’s sending-off, a true linchpin of Zidane’s defence.