Arsenal midfielder Jorginho was chosen by the Italy national team coach Luciano Spalletti as a part of the 30-man provisional squad for the upcoming Euro 2024 in Germany.
Jorginho Selected to Represent Italy at the Euros
A Reward for Jorginho’s Encouraging Season
Luciano Spalletti has decided to name the veteran midfielder in his provisional Italy squad for the Euro tournament. This is a reward for Jorginho’s promising season with Arsenal. It was not smooth sailing for him at the beginning of the term. But he remained patient, waited for his chance, and excelled when thrown onto the pitch.
He was also suffering from a few injuries during the campaign. But he managed to showcase his dedication by playing through the injury occasionally. Such unwavering commitment to the team is a testament to Jorginho’s leadership skills.
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His display against Liverpool in the Emirates during the 3-1 win was probably one of his best performances this season. His role as a deep-lying midfielder has enabled Declan Rice to bomb forward with freedom. This has added more threat to the Gunners’ attack.
As further proof of his immense value to the club, the 32-year-old midfielder signed a contract extension in May 2024.
What Will Be Jorginho’s Role in the National Team?
Senior players like Giorgio Chiellini and Leonardo Bonucci, who helped Italy win the Euro 2020, are no longer a part of the national team. So it is up to the likes of Jorginho to guide the youngsters in the squad.
While playing for Arsenal, the veteran is often seen guiding his teammates on the positions and zones they must occupy on the pitch. He does this even when he is warming up on the sidelines. He helps to execute Mikel Arteta’s plan during the games through such actions. Spalletti might want the midfielder to replicate this role at the Euros. The national team would greatly profit from having such an instructive player.
Manuel Locatelli’s absence from the squad means Jorginho is more likely to feature in the starting lineup. He will be deployed as a ‘regista‘, in the No.6 role, similar to his position at the club level. This will aid Nicolo Barella to play the box-to-box midfield role with more potency. Barella will benefit in the same way Jorginho’s club teammate Declan Rice has benefitted. Attack is considered to be Italy’s weakness, hence their midfield will need to create as many big chances as possible.
His defensive awareness and positional sense will help to make up for his lack of pace and physicality. As an experienced defensive midfielder, he will be screening Italy’s back line which might feature youngsters like Giorgio Scalvini.
Will Spalletti’s New Formation Endanger Jorginho’s Place in the Team?
During the international friendlies in March, Spalletti spoke of experimenting with new tactics. Speaking in the press conference, he said: “There is the possibility to change systems in the match based on the action. I want to evaluate based on the characteristics of those who play.”
“The 3-man defence, if you are balanced, makes you suffer fewer counterattacks. And then it goes without saying that we have 2 wingers, 2 in the half spaces, and a center forward who takes away the defensive line.”
In the international friendlies played in March 2024, Spalletti deployed a 3-4-2-1 formation and brought Jorginho off the bench against Venezuela, while against Ecuador he was in the starting lineup. So, irrespective of whether Spalletti opts for the usual 4-3-3 formation or an experimental 3-4-2-1, the Arsenal man will be a vital cog in the midfield. If it’s a 4-3-3, Lorenzo Pellegrini is expected to complete Italy’s midfield three.
In Euro 2020, Jorginho was the player with the most number of interceptions, recoveries, and fouls drawn. His performances in the Italian midfield helped him win the 2020/21 UEFA Men’s Player of the Year. Three years later, his performance levels don’t seem to have dipped.
Who Else Has Made It to the Provisional Italy Squad?
Prominent names to have missed out on the Italy squad for the Euro 2024 are Manuel Locatelli(Juventus), Ciro Immobile(Lazio), Davide Zappacosta(Atlanta), and Marco Verratti(Al-Arabi). Four players in the provisional squad will be axed when the final 26-man squad is announced.
Goalkeepers: Gianluigi Donnarumma, Alex Meret, Ivan Provedel, Guglielmo Vicario
Defenders: Francesco Acerbi, Alessandro Bastoni, Raoul Bellanova, Alessandro Buongiorno, Riccardo Calafiori, Andrea Cambiaso, Matteo Darmian, Giovanni di Lorenzo, Federico Dimarco, Gianluca Mancini, Giorgio Scalvini
Midfielders: Nicolo Barella, Bryan Cristante, Nicolo Fagioli, Michael Folorunsho, Davide Frattesi, Jorginho, Lorenzo Pellegrini, Samuele Ricci
Forwards: Federico Chiesa, Stephan El Shaarawy, Riccardo Orsolini, Giacomo Raspadori, Mateo Retegui, Gianluca Scamacca, Mattia Zaccagni
