Chiellini And Buffon Leap To Conte’s Aid But Italy’s Shortcomings Are Laid Bare

COMMENT: His old club captains ensured the Azzurri did not suffer vengeance at the hands of England but his turbulent return to Turin has simply posed more questions

By Joe Wright

Antonio Conte would have expected a turbulent time on his return to Juventus Stadium on Tuesday. He had some of his old Bianconeri lieutenants to thank that it didn’t become a disaster.

Conte, the subject of death threats from some supporters after Claudio Marchisio suffered an injury in Italy training, named three of the Old Lady’s experienced heads – Gianluigi Buffon, Leonardo Bonucci and Giorgio Chiellini – in an experimental XI against England. Chiellini answered the call for aid louder than anyone else.

“I would like everyone to help this Nazionale grow and nurture it, not constantly stir up controversy,” he said prior to the match. “This team represents the country and ought to be treated as such. I am sure the welcome will be good in Turin. We can’t wait to get out there.”

For much of the opening hour, Italy were comfortable and largely in control, with Chiellini the most important player on the pitch. Having made a brilliant early block against Theo Walcott – the England man he had previously identified as most dangerous – the 30-year-old turned provider for Graziano Pelle’s opener. His surge past Phil Jones was not a little ungainly, but the chipped cross was inch-perfect.

He has now scored or assisted four of Italy’s last eight goals. In the absence of Andrea Pirlo, Daniele De Rossi and any kind of experience in attack, Chiellini was leading from back to front. A block against Wayne Rooney and an inch-perfect slide tackle on Ross Barkley in the second half summed up the “clever” tenacity the England captain had warned to expect from him.

The problem lay ahead of the back three. Italy’s control of the first half owed as much to England’s dire use of the ball as anything the Azzurri midfield provided. Shorn of Marchisio, Andrea Pirlo and Daniele De Rossi, and with Marco Verratti on the bench, it fell to Mirko Valdifiori to dictate the Italy tempo. He did so in flashes. Michael Carrick’s introduction may have been enforced after Chris Smalling’s injury, but the supreme control he took of midfield came without surprise.

Conte was nonetheless encouraged by Valdifiori’s display, in spite of his anonymous showing after the break.

“Valdifiori is an example. He played a great game, I congratulate him. He deserves to be part of the group,” he said. “We must continue to work and try to grow these guys at international level.

Beyond the hour mark, an ever-improving England forced Italy to turn over possession at will and Bonucci, Chiellini and the impressive Andrea Ranocchia became increasingly exposed by runs from the centre. Andros Townsend’s emphatic equaliser was fully deserved and Conte had his old Juve captain Buffon to thank for ensuring England did not make it worse, with Rooney and Harry Kane both denied superbly.

Beyond the external distractions, Conte has plenty of food for thought between now and the daunting Euro 2016 qualifier in Croatia. Eder’s late goal could not disguise a poor performance against Bulgaria and Chiellini’s efforts will not do so now. Conte’s 3-5-2 system, often maligned for its dismal success rate in European competition with Juventus, was exposed in the second half in Turin by Carrick’s passing and the dynamism of Barkley and Townsend. The absences of Marchisio and Pirlo, both comfortable in the system, became more notable by the minute.

Chiellini had warned that England would be seeking revenge for their World Cup defeat and, but for his and Buffon’s efforts, Roy Hodgson’s men could well have delivered it.

“For me it was a thrill to come back here to Juventus Stadium. You can’t forget the beautiful and important past here,” Conte said after avoiding a more humbling return to his old club ground. His domestic triumphs with Juve – though some fans in recent days did manage to forget them – were built on the foundation Chiellini and Buffon provided and he relied on them again to avoid a nightmarish return to Turin. But with some crucial fixtures coming up in 2015, his Italy success will depend on much more than the helping hand of his old allies.