In the first minute of Italy’s match against Spain, Mattia De Sciglio stole the ball and charged down the left wing. It was a sign that the Azzurri weren’t just there to defend and the man to throw down the metaphorical gauntlet to Del Bosque’s side was a well-groomed 23-year-old with a very quiet manner. The only AC Milan player in Conte’s squad, De Sciglio grew up with the myth of Paolo Maldini and he is living proof that ‘personality’ does not necessarily equate to arrogance and that sometimes a good 90 minutes can get people to believe again, even after they’ve dismissed you as someone who has wasted his potential.
De Sciglio’s excellent display against Spain earned him a spot in L’Équipe’s dream team along with teammates Gigi Buffon and Graziano Pellè. It was deserved recognition for one of Italian football’s most promising youngsters: “I played well,” said De Sciglio at today’s press conference at Casa Azzurri, “just like the rest of the team. It was one of our best games. Spain were stronger than us on paper but we showed that it’s what happens on the pitch that counts. I feel good and I’m enjoying the moment but I’m staying grounded.”
It’s important to train physically for the Germany match but mental preparation is also crucial: “We’re doing a lot of video sessions to see how to go and press them or how to wait for them to come to us depending on the game situation and to see what to do when we have the ball. They attack with a lot of players, we have to stay very alert when they’ve got the ball and then we have to open up and counterattack straight away once we get it back.”
The match with Germany will also be a contest between two very effective defences. Löw’s men have yet to concede a goal in the tournament whereas Italy have only let in one and that was in a match against the Republic of Ireland when the Azzurri were already through: “They have players who are very experienced at international level.” De Sciglio said, “But we have our Juve trio who show their worth in every game. They tell us where to be during the match and the fact that they’ve won Serie A for the last five consecutive years has made them even stronger.”
In 2006, De Sciglio was 14 and, just like everyone his age, he was following the World Cup on TV with his friends: “I remember the final being very tough and tense, Grosso scored the winning penalty. We almost destroyed the house celebrating. It will be a proud and emotional moment when we play Germany. We’re expecting a difficult match; they’re a physically stronger side than Spain but we know our strengths and we can trouble them with our team spirit and by working hard on targeting their weaknesses. We’ve got important players missing in midfield but we’ve good players who’ll replace those who can’t recover in time.”
The scar on his left cheek is a lasting sign of a difficult time in his career: “It’s like a tattoo; it will always remind me of a difficult period that I managed to overcome. Conte has also helped me a lot”, said the Milan defender, “He made his faith in me clear by calling me up even when I wasn’t at my best; he made me feel important for the team and for him.”
If he had to motivate his teammates in the Stade de Bordeaux changing rooms, these would be his words: “Let’s believe in ourselves and give everything we have out there on the pitch because we can hurt the Germans as long as we play with sacrifice and determination.”
The photo shows De Sciglio signing autographs for fans outside the team hotel in Montpellier.