Italy vs. Albania: Salvatore Sirigu and Reserves Prove Worthy of Azzurri Starts

Italy hosted Albania on Tuesday evening just two days after the Azzurri’s most recent Euro 2016 qualifier, winning 1-0.

Coach Antonio Conte has largely called upon the same proven core players over his first few months in charge, regularly relying on some international stalwarts. But the former Juventus boss had agreed to release many of these stars after Sunday’s encounter, opting to call almost an entirely new squad to face Albania.

The Italian FA had switched the game to Genoa, hoping the presence of the Azzurri—and their financial input—would provide a boost for the flood-hit region.

Storms devastated the area last month per ANSA, and Conte was also prompted to add a number of players from the city’s two clubs. With no fewer than eight names from Genoa and Sampdoria, the friendly presented Antonio Conte with a chance to test some unfamiliar faces.

While many of those are unlikely to earn regular spots within the Italy setup, the same cannot be said of Salvatore Sirigu, a longstanding member of the squad. The Paris Saint-Germain keeper has been included almost without fail since his first call-up back in February 2010, although he did miss out on the World Cup that same summer.

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Cesare Prandelli would hand him his debut shortly after, and the 27-year-old has won 10 caps in the four years since. Gigi Buffon stands in his way, of course, as the Juventus and Italy captain is proving to be an immovable presence between the posts.

The undisputed first-choice keeper returned to Turin yesterday, however, leaving his understudy to don the gloves against Albania, and Sirigu kept a clean sheet in a 71-minute display. Statistics from ESPN FC show he made three saves at the Stadio Luigi Ferraris, looking confident throughout and commanding his box with authority.

But he would make one glaring error early in the second half, his mistake almost allowing the visitors to take the lead through Ermir Lenjani. He recovered well to smother the chance and did not allow the incident to affect his performance, displaying the mental toughness needed at the highest level.

With Buffon still in excellent form for club and country, Sirigu’s ability to displace Italy’s record appearance-maker remains slim, and barring injury that is unlikely to change before Euro 2016. But elsewhere in the side, a number of others may have staked a claim for more regular appearances with their displays on Tuesday night.

Nominally fielded as a right wing-back, Alessio Cerci shrugged off his inability to earn playing time at Atletico Madrid with an excellent attacking performance. Rarely asked to defend, the former Torino man played high up the pitch, his running causing endless problems for the Albania defence.

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While Diego Simeone appears unconvinced—Cerci has played just 80 minutes in La Liga this term—few in Italy underestimate Cerci’s impact. Corriere dello Sport linked the 27-year-old with a January move to Roberto Mancini’s Inter (h/t Football Italia), and on this showing it is easy to understand why.

If Cerci and Sirigu need no introduction, a third member of Conte’s reshuffled side is a lesser-known name but performed equally well. Lorenzo De Silvestri has endured a stuttering career, initially impressing at both his beloved Lazio and then Fiorentina only to move on with his promise remaining largely unfulfilled.

He appears to have found a home at Sampdoria however, landing at the club two years ago and already close to 70 league appearances. Largely employed as an orthodox right-back in Sinisa Mihajlovic’s back four, 2014-15 has seen the 26-year-old continue the excellent form he showed last season.

WhoScored.com shows he averaged 2.1 tackles, 1.8 interceptions and 4.3 clearances last term, also contributing a goal and two assists as the Genovese side finished in 12th place. A superb start has the team currently in fourth place, with De Silvestri playing a huge role in that improvement.

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Thoroughly deserving of his place in the Azzurri line-up here, he would display another quality which may see him return during the next international break. With Conte once again deploying the Azzurri in his favoured 3-5-2 formation, the Sampdoria man would perform admirably in an unfamiliar role on the right of the back three.

His muscular frame makes him look comfortable in central defence, and his 6’1” frame ensures he is a fine header of the ball. WhoScored shows that only nine players in Serie A won more aerial duels than De Silvestri (3.3 per game) last term, a trait vital to the role he was asked to play on Tuesday.

Like Cerci and Sirigu, he proved he belonged in the Azzurri shirt, and all three men are likely to return the next time Conte gathers his squad. While the goodwill and charitable gesture toward the city of Genoa are the main story, it was also good to see some footballing positives emerging on the pitch.