Has there been a leak? Spalletti: Formation information was disclosed in advance; the leaker harmed the national team’s interests

Italian national team coach Roberto Mancini responded to criticism after a draw against Croatia, appearing visibly emotional. Italy advanced to the Round of 16 as group runners-up thanks to a crucial 98th-minute goal from Lazio winger Mattia Zaccagni, with Spain topping the group and Croatia on the brink of elimination.

Italy’s European Championship campaign started with a bumpy ride, with a narrow 2-1 victory over Albania followed by a 1-0 defeat to Spain, making their qualification path challenging.

After the match, Mancini addressed the press candidly: “Everyone wants us out, but if I were afraid, I wouldn’t be doing this job. Fear doesn’t help, and I try to avoid unnecessary anxiety or the pressure imposed from outside. If there are malicious intentions, I prefer to face them directly rather than through others.”

The coach also sternly criticized any player who might have leaked tactical information to the media, as news emerged before the game that Italy would play in a 3-5-2 formation.

“It’s the weakness of those who divulge secrets,” he said angrily. “If there has been a leak, it’s to the detriment of the national team. Who told you this?”

Despite believing his team deserved to progress, Mancini pointed out issues in their performance, especially before Luka Modric’s goal for Croatia, which made the 38-year-old the oldest scorer in the tournament. “We deserved to advance tonight, but we weren’t at our best,” the 65-year-old commented. “Psychologically, when you accept a draw, the game often goes that way. You go into it content with a tie, and then you become cautious — we gave the opponent opportunities and were too careful. I don’t understand why.”

Italy will face Switzerland on Saturday, June 29th, in Berlin for their Round of 16 fixture. For Croatia, their hopes of advancing are slim, dependent on other match results.

Mancini added that his players were also under immense pressure from the media and fans. “Progressing from this group wasn’t easy, and although I didn’t call it a ‘group of death,’ Spain and Croatia are both very strong… When our performance falls below expectations, as happened in the first half at times, it’s because we feel the pressure of important matches.”