Vicente del Bosque has conceded that Italy have ‘always been able to push the right buttons in order to complicate our lives.’
Spain face the Azzurri at Atletico Madrid’s Vicente Calderon on Wednesday in a friendly with less than 100 days until the World Cup.
La Roja played their European rivals twice at Euro 2012 and at the Confederations Cup, and the Coach has admitted that things have never been straightforward with Cesare Prandelli’s team.
“They are an opponent who has always been able to push the right buttons in order to complicate our lives, especially with regards to our defence,” he told Gazzetta dello Sport.
“I think of the opening of the field with Maggio and Giaccherini, the runs from central from De Rossi, Marchisio or Montolivo, the one-on-ones from Cassano and Balotelli, Pirlo’s intelligence.
“They have always been able to find ideas that have created problems, which fortunately we have always managed to overcome.
“At the start of the European Championships in Poland and Ukraine, it was not that Di Natale’s goal was the only one we conceded, Italy gave us a very tough time.
“I consider the final against Italy as the best game of my administration, I do not forget that Italy had several problems – fatigue, injury, Chiellini and Motta…
“Then there was the complicated challenge in Brazil, with additional major problems that Italy caused us, they dominated much of the game.
“How do I explain it? Italy have been world champions recently, they have good players and the Juventus block is important and tried.”
