Hybrids are very much in vogue and Roberto Mancini’s Italian model is motoring on the road towards Euro glory.
Mancini has successfully married Italy’s traditional defensive solidity with attacking verve.
The result is a team excelling at both ends and they have scored 32 goals without reply during their 11-match winning run.
They have not conceded in 1,055 minutes and Mancini has also equalled legendary double World Cup-winning coach Vittorio Pozzo’s record 30-match unbeaten run set in the 1930s.
The Azzurri boss liked to play attacking football during his successful reign as Manchester City boss, although his Italy resemble Liverpool more.
Like Jurgen Klopp, he plays 4-3-3 and the full-backs get forward like wingers.
His two centre-halves, usually the vastly-experienced Leonardo Bonucci and Giorgio Chiellini, anchor the defence and Jorginho provides a protective screen in the holding midfield role.
The other five outfield players attack and Italy play with a freedom not normally associated with the Azzurri.
Mancini has blended together a potent mix of young and old players to build his side from the wreckage of the failure to qualify for the last World Cup, which was mourned like a national disaster in Italy.
Crucially, there are no high-maintenance egos in his squad, unlike at previous tournaments, and Mancini insists the team is the star.
Federico Chiesa claims the players buy into Mancini’s philosophy and have a great team spirit.
“There’s a lot of electricity in the air, the atmosphere among the players is great,” said the Juventus forward, who was man of the match in the 1-0 win over Wales.
“The manager is responsible for that and he has instilled enthusiasm in the group over the last couple of years. We are a very close-knit group.
“The manager considers all the 26 guys in the squad as starters, he doesn’t look at anyone differently. We don’t have 11 starters, we have 26 starters.
“Everybody is working together to achieve the goal and the goal is big.”
Chiesa is bullish about Italy’s chances of adding to their only Euro success in 1968 when they hosted the tournament.
“How far can Italy go?” he said. “We are here to win the tournament, that is our goal.
“As a team we want to achieve this dream, so everyone is right to dream about winning. We should dare to dream.
“To get to the end, we will have to play against the strongest teams.
“I think we can win against them, I think we can win against anyone.
“We have a great style of play so we should not be afraid of these teams.
“We are playing well, scoring goals and not conceding goals, so we should be confident.”
