Italy lament Belgium defeat but warn of need for high tempo

Nicolò Barella expressed his frustration after Italy’s 4-1 defeat by Belgium, saying the national team feel “more regret” over the earlier home defeat than over this result. The midfielder stressed that the team “cannot play at a slow tempo, or else we concede too many goals”. This Nations League campaign has been a real rollercoaster for the Azzurri, who began with a 2-0 home defeat on 25 September, which prompted speculation about possible relegation to League B.

The match took place in Brussels, where Italy, after a recovery that took them to the top of the group, ended up losing that position. Before this game, the Italians had secured a 1-1 draw in Paris and a 3-1 win over France at San Siro. The 4-1 defeat was a heavy blow, especially as Pio Esposito opened the scoring before the opposition replied with four goals, scored by Maxim De Cuyper, Nathan Ngoy, Jeremy Doku and Diego Moreira.

Speaking to RAI Sport, Barella assessed Italy’s performance: “Belgium were better than us tonight, and we also felt some tiredness from the last game against France.” The midfielder acknowledged that, despite the defeat, the team showed they have “solid foundations to build on”.

Asked about the difference in performance between the game at San Siro and this one in Brussels, Barella pointed out that “we are a team that cannot play at a slow tempo”, adding that “several goals were scored from rebounds and scrambles”. He also urged the team to stay alert to stop such situations developing.

Despite the bitter defeat, Barella emphasised that there are positives to consider, as the team have shown great progress since the first defeat in Rome. “We have more regrets about the first game in Rome, whereas today Belgium were simply better, we have no complaints,” he admitted. The player stressed that that match was the start of a journey and that Italy are showing they are ready to follow the head coach’s instructions, with the new faces bringing fresh energy to the squad.

The defeat is painful, but Barella insisted the team must not lose sight of the main focus, which is to win back the enthusiasm of the fans, describing this as “the most important thing right now”.