The experienced Italian manager, Fabio Capello, has criticised the performance of the national team’s defenders following the heartbreaking defeat to Bosnia and Herzegovina on penalties, which saw the Azzurri fail to qualify for the World Cup for the third consecutive time.
Capello said during an interview with the Italian newspaper La Gazzetta dello Sport: “As for the defence, at this historic moment, we do not have defenders of a high standard.”
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He continued: “Our defence consists of defenders who are excellent at passing and playing the ball, but they are less effective in positioning and purely defensive marking… We need defenders who are more pragmatic and capable of defending first and foremost, not just stylish and elegant defenders.”
The former Real Madrid manager added: “They are good at pushing forward and attacking, but they struggle more when they have to focus solely on traditional defensive duties.”
Capello levelled direct criticism at Inter Milan defender Alessandro Bastoni, saying he made a “crucial mistake” in the incident that led to his sending-off against Bosnia.
He also considered Arsenal star Riccardo Calafiori to be one of those defenders who favour an attacking style at the expense of defensive solidity.