Pablo Mari on Spain vs Italy, expectations for Euro 2024 and the knife attack

Pablo Mari spoke about Italy’s upcoming clash with Spain at the 2024 European Championship, the similarities and differences between the two teams and his horrific knife incident in 2022.

The Azzurri are preparing for a thrilling Group B clash with La Roja, which begins on Wednesday evening in Gelsenkirchen. Both teams won their opening games of the tournament against Albania and Croatia respectively, putting themselves in a strong position to progress to the knockout stages.

In the other match in the second round of Group B, Albania and Croatia played out a tense 2-2 draw, leaving both teams with just one point. Should Italy and Spain draw in their match, both would likely progress to the round of 16 regardless of the final.

Pablo Mari talks about Spain vs Italy

In an interview with TMW, Pablo Mari first discussed his expectations for the encounter between Italy and Spain.

“Two great national teams are playing against each other, I expect a good game. I know the Italian players well and I know what they have felt over the last two years.

“It was hard for them to cope with missing out on qualifying for the World Cup, they have a great desire to prove their worth.”

He was asked if Spain had really changed their style of play.

“I think so, today there are very different players than before. Now there are very fast players: Yamal, Olmo, Williams… And Morata has adapted very well to this new style of play.

“They played a good game against Croatia and proved to be one of the favourites. I also liked Italy, they played a game with a recognizable style.”

Pablo Mari commented on the fight between Alvaro Morata and Gianluca Scamacca.

“In terms of their individual characteristics, they are similar, they are well structured and technical. They both have a good shot, they bring the game into harmony and both like the space very much.

“I played against Scamacca for two years. For me, he is a very strong striker. Since Atalanta plays man-to-man all over the pitch, it is difficult to mark him. In the first leg of last season, he even scored two goals against us.”

Pablo Mari praised Nicolo Barella highly.

“He is more of a mediano than a midfielder, he is also one of the best in the world in his area of ​​the pitch. He is the player who commands Inter.

“I watched 80% of the Nerazzurri’s games last season. I agree, there is Calhanoglu and Mkhitaryan, but he was the one who made the opposing team move with his runs.”

Pablo Mari was impressed by Alessandro Bastoni.

“The best left-footer of the last Serie A season. He has technique, physique and then personality.”

“In the national team you can see his confidence, he doesn’t feel the weight of the shirt and that shows that he is a player at the highest level. But I would also like to say a few words to Calafiori.”

Pablo Mari then commented on the comparisons between Riccardo Calafiori and Sergio Ramos.

“That’s the way it is. First Ramos was a full-back and then he became a centre-back, more or less the same career that Calafiori is doing. Motta turned his career around, he added those two or three things that make the difference.

“This gives him the freedom to go further forward. He is a very technical and intelligent player. Because he started as a full-back, he has more confidence with the ball at his feet.”

Pablo Mari discussed the different perspectives regarding young players in Italy and Spain: Lamine Yamal played at 16, while Giacomo Raspadori was considered young at 24.

“In my opinion it is also a cultural question, but one aspect should not be underestimated: great defenders have always been born in Italy. There were Maldini, Nesta, Cannavaro Bonucci and Chiellini, the best central defenders in the world for 20 to 30 years.

“This increases the average age because at 25, 30 or 32 they always have to play, they were the best for many years. After winning everything, we had to make a fresh start, we had to start over with a new cycle. Italy has been changing its face in recent years.”

Pablo Mari was questioned about the horrific stabbing he suffered in a supermarket in 2022.

“You think you can’t control everything in life and in the end the most important thing is that you are doing well, that the whole family is doing well. And then that things like this can happen and it’s important how you react to them.”

“The doctors told me I could return to the field after three and a half months, after a month and a week I was training on the field. I wanted to repay all the support from Monza.

“I have focused on the really important things in life, to which I now attach much more importance, without wasting too much time on unnecessary things.”