Federico Dimarco: “Italy cannot concede so many goals from set pieces”

Following Italy’s 3-1 defeat to France in the UEFA Nations League, national team defender Federico Dimarco shared his thoughts on the match and the team’s performance. Speaking to Rai Sport, he acknowledged the team’s effort but emphasized the need for improvement, particularly in defending set pieces.

“We played a great game and created a lot of chances, but a defeat is still a defeat,” Dimarco stated. “We know we lost to a strong team that has always played at high levels, and we will learn from this loss.”

Dimarco highlighted Italy’s recurring issue with conceding goals from set pieces, saying, “In the first 30 minutes, we stretched out a bit, and they exploited that. After Cambiaso’s goal, we reorganized and managed to contain them well; I believe there wasn’t much of a contest after that. It’s unfortunate about Rabiot’s second goal; those are details that make a difference. A team like ours cannot concede so many goals from dead balls.”

He also reflected on the team’s attacking struggles during the match: “Their three midfielders marked our three midfielders tightly, and at times we couldn’t find the right openings. Additionally, we weren’t very clean technically, which is disappointing.”

When asked about Italy’s progress since the European Championship, Dimarco remarked, “They are a strong team. After the Euros, we started building a new path. The group is healthy, and many new players have joined the national team, which is positive. I believe our overall assessment since the start of the Nations League has been positive; we need to continue like this and learn from this defeat.”