Coming together as a group to regain confidence and belief. The five goals conceded in the opening match against France are still difficult to come to terms with, but they haven’t undermined the ambitions of Milena Bertolini’s side, who are ready to try to bounce back with courage, a spirit of sacrifice and cohesion, which is what the Head Coach asked of her girls before the start of the Euros. There’s a desire for redemption, and the Azzurre will have the chance to show a strong reaction when they take on Iceland at the Manchester City Academy Stadium at 19:00 CEST on Thursday.

The real Italy is yet to take to the pitch, with Valentina Giacinti and Flaminia Simonetti very much aware of this. On Sunday, both came on in the second half to try to turn the tide of a match that had begun in the worst possible way. Against the French, Giacinti made her 50th National Team appearance. So far, she’s scored 18 goals and was a key player during the team’s 2019 World Cup journey.

An experienced figure, the new Roma attacker knows how to overcome difficulties as Italy look to put the defeat behind them: “It was a sad evening after the game and I didn’t sleep. However, the next morning, I was already thinking about what we needed to do to overcome the setback,” she said in today’s press conference. “Only by sticking together can we bounce back. Italy are the team that you’ve admired in the past few years, not the side that played France. We’re aware that we simply have to win to keep dreaming.”

The criticism that came after the defeat to France isn’t something Giacinti is worrying about: “We know that people are expecting a lot from us, but a few false steps can happen because we’re a group that is growing and which still needs to work a lot to reach the level of the very best teams. The fact that the women’s game is turning professional in Italy won’t solve everything; time is needed.”

Before the Azzurre’s training session in Accrington today, Italy’s No.19, who shared a changing room with Iceland player Thorvaldsdottir during her time at AC Milan, talked about the strengths of the team’s next opponents, who drew with Belgium in their opening fixture: “We’ll be up against a very physical side who have a few particularly strong players in their ranks. Bjorg (Thorvaldsdottir ed.) is one such player, and the goal she scored on Sunday proves this. We need to be attentive and remain united. Obviously, I want to play, but it’s up to the Head Coach. I’ll be ready whatever she decides.”

For Flaminia Simonetti, being part of the Euro 2022 squad is a dream come true. It’s the first time that she’s been involved in a major international tournament, with her performances for Inter in the past season seeing her gain the trust of the Head Coach. Full of running and with great vision, Milena Bertolini threw her into the mix on Saturday to try to add new energy to a midfield that had been overpowered by France: “We take responsibility for what happened,” said Simonetti. “In the opening 45 minutes, it was a mental problem more than anything else. We acknowledge that we got it wrong because we didn’t manage to display our true worth. The level of this tournament is very high. I realise that we’re still slightly behind in Italy, but the path we’ve gone down is the right one, and I’m sure we’ll continue to grow.”

In 2013, the 25-year-old midfielder took part in the European Under-17 Championship, which also took place in England. It was a tournament that saw Italy come third: “It was a great adventure, and I hope to experience similar emotions with my current teammates,” added Simonetti. “You should never fear that you won’t make it. I was quite calm when the Head Coach asked me to take to the pitch. I wanted to play and was aware that, up against some very strong players, I couldn’t afford to get swept up in the emotion of it all.”