Antonio Conte admits the 4-2-4 switch worked against Norway, but “versatility has to be our strength.”
The Scandinavians scored with their only shot on target, but Alessandro Florenzi and Graziano Pelle turned it around in the final 20 minutes.
“We have to compliment our opponents, as Norway are a strong side and I’m sorry they went into the play-offs. This is football,” the Coach told Rai Sport.
Antonio Conte admits the 4-2-4 switch worked against Norway, but “versatility has to be our strength.”
The Scandinavians scored with their only shot on target, but Alessandro Florenzi and Graziano Pelle turned it around in the final 20 minutes.
“We have to compliment our opponents, as Norway are a strong side and I’m sorry they went into the play-offs. This is football,” the Coach told Rai Sport.
Norway needed a victory to top the group and send Croatia into the play-offs.
“We played the way we had to, trying to give a sense of consistency. We didn’t deserve to be a goal down, this is the right path and I want this intensity and grit. We can lose or win, but the important thing is this attitude.”
Is it a coincidence that Italy’s comeback started the moment they moved to 4-2-4 after starting 3-5-2?
“Yes, let’s say we were interpreting the game well before that and only unlucky to be behind. We played three days ago, I had ‘only’ three wingers and we’d used up a lot of energy.
“The plan was always to go 4-2-4 later in the match. This versatility has to be one of our greatest strengths.”
Belgium beat Israel 3-0, so are the final top seeds in the Euro 2016 draw.
“We finished the group with 24 points, so I repeat that it’s difficult to explain why we are not seeds. We’ve lost only one game throughout the year.”