Inter Milan defender Alessandro Bastoni, wingback Federico Dimarco, and midfielder Nicolo Barella are all set to play key roles for Italy.

This is highlighted in today’s print edition of Milan-based newspaper Gazzetta dello Sport, via FCInterNews, who note the prominent role that all three of the trio will have under new Azzurri coach Luciano Spalletti.

The Italian nationalk team is entering a new era.

Coach Luciano Spalletti took over from Roberto Mancini after the latter left to take charge of Saudi Arabia. Spalletti has had a long and distinguished club career.

The 64-year-old had coached the likes of Roma and Inter as well as Zenit St. Petersburg and several smaller Italian clubs.

And over the past two seasons, Spalletti crowned his career with a memorable spell in charge of Napoli. The veteran coach guided the Partenopei to their first Serie A title in over three decades last season.

Inter Trio Bastoni, Barella & Dimarco Set To Play Key Roles For Italy Under Spalletti

Now, Spalletti has a very different challenge.

The former Nerazzurri and Partenopei coach will try and reshape Italy in his tactical image. The Azzurri enjoyed great success under Mancini, winning the Euros in 2021.

However, results since then have stagnated somewhat, with the failure to qualify for the World Cup in Qatar a big disappointment.

Spalletti will look to reconfigure Italy tactically. And he’ll need the right players to do it. One looks to be Inter defender Bastoni. The 24-year-old was not quite able to push up the pitch with his usual aggression in Spalletti’s debut match against North Macedonia.

For Inter, Bastoni plays in a back three that enables him to get forward and participate in the attack. His responsibilities in a back four under Spalletti don’t quite allow this.

However, Bastoni still completed 92 passes against North Macedonia. This was a demonstration of how the Nerazzurri defender can become a key player in buildup for the Azzurri, even if he’s not playing as aggressively.

Meanwhile, the same is true of Nerazzurri wingback Federico Dimarco. The 25-year-old plays in a very attacking role for Inter, which won’t quite be the same on the left of Italy’s back four.

But like with Bastoni, Dimarco’s technical quality will be key to Italy implementing Spalletti’s preferred style of play.

Furthermore, Inter midfielder Nicolo Barella has already been a key figure for Italy several years now.

The ex-Cagliari man was in the starting eleven as the Azzurri won the Euros under Mancini. And there is no sign that Barella will play any less prominent of a role under Spalletti.

In fact, the Gazzetta notes. Barella looks like he’ll be a leader on the pitch for Italy, and the team’s heartbeat in midfield.