Italian Media: Defensive Italian Approach No Longer Works as Inter, Roma and Como Play Proactive Football

According to Italian media outlet SportMediaset, although only Fabregas' team secured a victory, European competition has still sent a signal that Italian teams need to play in a more proactive manner.

After the first round of the Champions League, Italian teams had a record of two defeats, one draw and one win. Judging only by the results, this record does not appear ideal, but a closer look at the performances shows that the situation was much more positive than it seemed.

Inter Milan, Roma and Como achieved different results, but all three played proactive attacking football with an emphasis on possession.

Inter faced Real Madrid at the Bernabeu, Roma played Fenerbahce away, and Como hosted Leipzig at the Sinigaglia Stadium. The common point across the three matches was that Italian teams displayed a positive style of play. Compared with the image Italian teams have left in European football in recent years, this represents clear progress. Similar changes are also beginning to appear in Serie A, with more teams willing to engage opponents directly rather than relying excessively on conservative tactics.

Gasperini and Chivu have shown that a back three does not necessarily mean a deep defensive setup with five defenders. Inter and Roma both confronted their opponents positively, and as a result also gave them plenty of opportunities. Inter's problem was that they gifted Real Madrid two goals; if Real's players had been calmer in front of goal, they could have conceded even more. However, from the first minute, Inter showed an attacking attitude and strong presence, keeping Mourinho's Real Madrid under pressure for long periods. Roma were similar, controlling the rhythm for most of a relatively tight match. Como, meanwhile, dominated Leipzig, a team that has competed in the Champions League for many years.

The shortcoming of this round may have been Napoli. Napoli faced Arsenal, one of Europe's strongest teams, but the match gave the impression that Napoli remained an outsider in the upward trend of Italian football. Allegri previously attempted to replicate the tactics he used against Chelsea in 2021: at that time, his Juventus won 1-0 at Stamford Bridge by defending solidly and limiting Chelsea's chances. Now, considering the previous three consecutive defeats against Como, Inter and Arsenal, Allegri's football appears to be outdated, and relying solely on a conservative approach is unlikely to continue producing results.