{"id":9418,"date":"2025-04-18T12:14:35","date_gmt":"2025-04-18T12:14:35","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/betwealthsuretips.com\/blog\/bastoni-sees-envy-in-italy-but-no-issues-with-calafiori-and-national-team\/"},"modified":"2025-04-18T12:14:46","modified_gmt":"2025-04-18T12:14:46","slug":"bastoni-sees-envy-in-italy-but-no-issues-with-calafiori-and-national-team","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/betwealthsuretips.com\/blog\/bastoni-sees-envy-in-italy-but-no-issues-with-calafiori-and-national-team\/","title":{"rendered":"Bastoni sees ‘envy’ in Italy, but ‘no issues’ with Calafiori and national team"},"content":{"rendered":"
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\"MILAN,<\/picture><\/div>\n

MILAN, ITALY – MARCH 20: Alessandro Bastoni of Italy in action during the UEFA Nations League quarterfinal leg one match between Italy and Germany at Stadio San Siro on March 20, 2025 in Milan, Italy. (Photo by Alessandro Sabattini\/Getty Images)<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

Alessandro Bastoni sees \u2018a lot of envy\u2019 when it comes to judging Italian players, but has \u2018no issues\u2019 with Riccardo Calafiori and the Azzurri team: \u2018We are a healthy group.\u2019<\/p>\n

Inter star Bastoni\u00a0gave an\u00a0interview with Gazzetta dello Sport, discussing, among other things, his improvements in recent years and his contributions<\/span>\u00a0to the Italy national team.<\/p>\n

The 26-year-old was asked why many pundits still do not see him as a \u2018pure\u2019 centre-back, but the Azzurri defender disagreed with the criticism.<\/p>\n

\u201cThat\u2019s a very Italian way of judging it. There\u2019s a lot of envy here, especially when it comes to our own players,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n

\u201cI watch a lot of games in foreign leagues and see defenders who are hailed as monsters, but they make more mistakes than I do. That criticism might have been valid two or three years ago, when I had clear flaws, but I worked on them and improved. That label doesn\u2019t fit me anymore.\u201d<\/p>\n

So, how has he improved defensively in recent years?<\/p>\n

\u201cBy watching videos and seeing what I was doing wrong, but mostly working on the mindset. It was a mental issue,\u201d he admitted.<\/p>\n

\"epa11976939
epa11976939 Germany\u2019s forward Jonathan Burkardt (R) kicks the ball against Riccardo Calafiori during the UEFA Nations League quarterfinals first leg soccer match between Italy and Germany at the Giuseppe Meazza Stadium in Milan, Italy, 20 March 2025. EPA-EFE\/Daniel Dal Zennaro<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

\u201cI often lost focus as I didn\u2019t have the same determination for 90 minutes. I\u2019ve just turned 26 and I have room to grow, but in my first seasons at Inter, I wasn\u2019t 100% ready in every aspect. The trait that makes me different is the ability to contribute in attack. I don\u2019t know what the future defenders will look like, but I\u2019m proud to be one of the first ones to change the role. That being said, I can defend too and being around guys like Skriniar, Acerbi, De Vrij, and Pavard helped me. The real change was in my head.\u201d<\/p>\n

Specialised transfer website Transfermarkt values Bastoni as the most expensive centre-back in the world at \u20ac85m, but despite his ability to push forward as the left central defender in a three-man defence, he has to adapt when he plays with the Italian national team, playing as a pure central defender and leaving the left wing to Riccardo Calafiori.<\/p>\n

\u201cCalafiori plays in the same role, and he\u2019s really good. Spalletti\u2019s idea is to put as much quality as possible on the pitch, and we adapt to his philosophy,\u201d Bastoni explained.<\/p>\n

\u201cRiccardo is a great guy. We have a healthy group in the national team, and there are no issues at all.\u201d<\/p>\n

During the same interview, Bastoni spoke about Inter\u2019s journey in the Champions League, saying that the Nerazzurri can go all the way if they continue to defend as a team.<\/p>\n