Oriali Sounds Alarm for Italy's Difficult Spell and Criticizes Juventus Ultras
Italy are back together at Coverciano, but the mood is more sober than celebratory.
The Azzurri regrouped today to begin preparations for a demanding Nations League run: Belgium first on Friday, then away trips to Turkiye on September 28 and France on October 2. Vincenzo Montella’s Turkiye then visit Italy on October 5, before the group closes with France on November 12 and Belgium on November 15.
Back on the touchline is Roberto Mancini. Back alongside him, Gabriele Oriali. The old Euro 2020 axis, reunited in a very different climate.
“It is certainly not the best moment for Italian football, we know that we are heading into a difficult spell,” Oriali told Rai 2, laying out the context without sugar-coating it.
The message to the squad is blunt: no one can hide.
“The lads need to recognise that too. The important thing is for everyone to understand the moment, share it, have collective responsibility, respect and a little discipline, all of which never hurts.
“It is by finding that team spirit, that group togetherness, that we can then achieve results.”
A call for unity – and a rebuke for Juventus ultras
That sense of togetherness, Oriali knows, is not exactly Italy’s strong suit right now.
The weekend provided a stark example. During a minute’s silence for Sandro Mazzola – a giant of Italy and Inter – sections of the Juventus ultras turned their backs on the pitch. While a tribute to Mazzola lit up the LED screen at San Siro before Milan–Lecce, the controversy swirled around Turin.
For Oriali, a former Inter midfielder who knew Mazzola personally, the gesture cut deep.
“I remember the first training sessions at the Pinetina, Mazzola was one of those who welcomed me with open arms,” he recalled. “He gave me a lift home one day after training, people couldn’t believe it when they saw him.
“I have only fond memories of him as a teammate and a person, without forgetting he was also a great director who brought Ronaldo to Serie A.”
Then came the sharpest line of the day.
“The ultras turning their backs was an ugly image. I hope that these people can be identified and left out of the stadium, it’s shameful. There are champions who go beyond the jerseys they wear, and this was just a deplorable gesture.”
Italy now move into a packed Nations League calendar with an old leadership duo trying to restore order, identity and respect. The fixtures are tough. The atmosphere around the game is tense.
This “difficult spell” Oriali warns about will not just test Italy’s tactics – it will test the country’s footballing conscience.
