Nicolò Barella starts in the Azzurri's first match at Euro 2024. Italy faces Albania at the Westfalenstadion in Dortmund and Spalletti chooses the 4-2-3-1 with Chiesa, Pellegrini and Frattesi supporting the lone striker Scamacca.

This is the eleven chosen by the Italian coach: Donnarumma; Di Lorenzo, Bastoni, Calafiori, Dimarco; Stretcher, Jorginho; Chiesa, Frattesi, Pellegrini; Scamacca.

Sylvinho's national team responds with an identical formation, full of players who play in Serie A: Berisha; Hysaj, Ajeti, Djimsiti, Mitaj; Asllani, Ramadani; Bajrami, Asani, Seferi; Broja.

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Shocking start for the Azzurri, who are already down after 23 seconds. The fastest goal conceded in the history of the national team starts from a wicked back pass following a lateral foul by Dimarco which becomes an assist for Bajrami, who doesn't think too much about it and finishes on goal, beating Donnarumma.

Italy's reaction was immediate with a great play by Chiesa, Pellegrini wasted the spot by kicking high over the crossbar. In the 11th minute the equalizer came with a header from Bastoni, placed at the far post following a corner from the left. And in the 17th minute Nicolò Barella's billiard shot, in doubt until yesterday: the Sardinian midfielder, who had already scored against Belgium at the previous European Championships ( it was the first Sardinian goal in the history of the final phase of the European Championships or World Cup ), collects a rejected by the Albanian defense and from the edge with a great counter-ball shot he finds the winning trajectory. The Azzurri show excellent ball movement and dominate the match, after the half hour a huge opportunity for Frattesi, who on Scamacca's assist beats the goalkeeper with a valuable shot underneath, but the ball hits the post.

(Unioneonline/L)

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