Italy wants the European. From Turin to Cagliari passing through Rome, the euphoria was unleashed in the squares after the feat of Roberto Mancini's national team, who in Munich won a place in the semifinals by keeping 3 out of 4 Italians attached to the TV during the match against the Belgium: 73% share between Rai and Sky, never so high during this tournament. From balcony to balcony echoed the shouts of joy, as months ago 'everything will be fine' when the pandemic terrified. Today, waiting for Tuesday's match in London against Spain, we embrace and celebrate in the street, hoping that it is no longer the virus that spreads but only that contagious feeling of national unity that few events generate like those of the national team. As in 2006, when in asummer went from drama (sports, however, for calciopoli) to world triumph.
Roberto Mancini's team is however decidedly different from that of Marcello Lippi: devoid of first-rate stars, he made up for it with the strength of the collective. A compact patrol, veterans and young people, all persuaded by the coach and his staff to embrace a purposeful football, in search of the pleasure of playing while having fun, also to convey lightheartedness. The formula also worked against Belgium, the first real maturity exam. And even more so the team believed him yesterday when he gathered around his coach ("Pictures you can hear", wrote Mancini on social media accompanying the photo), who was showing two fingers when speaking. Two, how many matches are missing to return to the top of Europe, as he managed only in 1968 in the home tournament at the national team. This year in Europe theItaly has won the political game (with itself, more than anything else) of the Recovery, and thanks to the music of Maneskin has conquered Eurovision. With football, he can score a 'treble'. And never mind if the mandatory quarantine in Great Britain will make it practically impossible for fans to travel
