Raging Spalletti blasts critics as Italy scrape through in Euros / Photo: GABRIEL BOUYS - AFP
Raging Spalletti blasts critics as Italy scrape through in Euros
Italy coach Luciano Spalletti lashed out at critics after his team drew 1-1 against Croatia on Monday to reach the Euro 2024 last 16.
Only a brilliant 98th minute winner from Lazio winger Mattia Zaccagni sent Italy through second from Group B behind Spain, leaving Croatia third and on the verge of elimination.
Italy scraped a 2-1 win over Albania in their opening fixture and were then outplayed by Spain in a 1-0 defeat.
"Everybody is trying to get us out (of the tournament)," Spalletti told reporters after his team snatched their late draw.
"If I were afraid I would have done another job. There's no point in being afraid.
"I don't want to be more concerned than I need to be or load up additional pressure that people are putting on my shoulders.
"There's venom coming from all sides and I inject myself with this venom, if it's not."
Spalletti also blasted players potentially leaking information to the media, with the news Italy would line up in a 3-5-2 formation coming out ahead of the game.
"This is a weakness of those who are leaking things," said a furious Spalletti.
"If there are people who are leaking things it hurts the national team, who ever has told you that."
R.Papakonstantinou--AN-GR
