Italy’s national team are not the formidable opponents that I was used to seeing in my youthful years, but it is still a fact that they should be feared if they reach a Euros or World Cup Finals, if they manage to qualify.
They currently are third in Group C behind England and Ukraine and have two games remaining against North Macedonia and Ukraine in the final two Euro 2024 qualifiers, and they need four points to qualify or even just a victory against the Ukrainians next week will do.
The Italian coach Luciano Spalletti has decided that he needs as much experience in his side as possible, and in the absence on Manuel Locatelli due to injury, Jorginho is the man he wants to boss his midfield, after his excellent recent form for the gunners.
The problem is that last week, Jorginho received some studs in his head from Jakub Kiwior last week and should actually be on our treatment table, but Spalletti has other ideas. He told Football Italia when asked about the Arsenal midfielder: “He was not called up the first time because he had never featured for his club. The second time, he had started two games from seven and he had been injured and subbed off. But he always had the desire to be part of this team and this is crucial. I had spoken to him and he expressed his affection for this shirt and this colours. Now he is playing regularly and I think he is getting in shape. He is the Regista who tells the team where to go. He was named Arsenal’s captain. There are positive signals that brought to this decision. He was never excluded from the group.”
And as for Jorginho’s injury, Spalletti wasn’t very worried: “Jorginho has stitches in his head from his last game. I think it was the first time he went for a header in his career. We need him for his feet anyway. I couldn’t wait to call Jorginho because of what he told me the first time we spoke and the messages he sent. He’s always been determined to return. He was the first one to arrive yesterday before dinner…….”
Well it appears that Jorginho has got his wish to play for Italy again, and Spalletti has got his regista.
Let’s hope all’s well and it ends well, despite Jorginho’s injury…
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