Italy tested out a 4-2-4 system ahead of games with Liechtenstein and Germany, using Marco Verratti and Daniele De Rossi in midfield.
The Azzurri continue their World Cup qualifying campaign in Vaduz on Saturday, then host Germany at San Siro in a friendly next week.
After the first few months following Antonio Conte’s 3-5-2 system from the Euro 2016 tournament, Coach Giampiero Ventura is at last implementing his own vision of the Nazionale.
Italy tested out a 4-2-4 system ahead of games with Liechtenstein and Germany, using Marco Verratti and Daniele De Rossi in midfield.
The Azzurri continue their World Cup qualifying campaign in Vaduz on Saturday, then host Germany at San Siro in a friendly next week.
After the first few months following Antonio Conte’s 3-5-2 system from the Euro 2016 tournament, Coach Giampiero Ventura is at last implementing his own vision of the Nazionale.
In today’s training session the Azzurri used a 4-2-4 system with De Rossi and Verratti together in the middle.
“These two players are incompatible in a three-man midfield, but in a different context it’s not the case,” noted Ventura to reporters.
Antonio Candreva and Giacomo Bonaventura were used as the wide forwards, though Federico Bernardeschi is in the running for the Milan man’s spot on the left.
Davide Zappacosta and Matteo Darmian are challenging for the right-back role, while Mattia De Sciglio is the favourite ahead of his Milan teammate Luca Antonelli at left-back.
Daniele Rugani and Davide Astori were tested out in defence too.
Italy (probable): Buffon; Darmian, Romagnoli, Bonucci, De Sciglio; De Rossi, Verratti; Candreva, Belotti, Immobile, Bernardeschi (Bonaventura)