They love to be at the heart of the action, in the middle of the pitch, where their position allows them to play a tactically decisive role for their team: this morning, Manuel Locatelli and Nicolò Rovella took centre stage on Azzurri Live, the entertainment show that features the Azzurri in training camp at Coverciano, now in its tenth episode and streamed across all FIGC social platforms.

“We’ve got a good mix of younger players and those with more experience: we’re a close-knit team, we’ve known each other for a while. There’s no rivalry between us, we just want to help each other,” emphasised Locatelli, before discussing training under new head coach Gattuso since Monday: “The coach is full of energy. He asks us for intensity; the sessions are really fast-paced, we don’t have much time, so there’s no point in talking too much. It’s about winning and showing it on the pitch.”

Nicolò Rovella shared the view of his midfield partner by saying, “I’ve seen the coach full of energy, and that gives us a boost. It’s always a special experience to be here at Coverciano, and we absolutely have to do well in these two upcoming matches… How far can we go? Hopefully, the World Cup.”

Securing a place in the World Cup finals will require finishing top of the group and making up a heavy -12 goal difference. Locatelli explained, “Like the coach said, we can’t get caught up in a rush, because that only creates tension. We have to keep our cool and know exactly what to do during the match.”

As for the new Azzurri technical team, there’s a familiar face for the Juventus midfielder. Locatelli smiled and explained, “It feels strange to see Bonucci on the staff… Leo is a special person for me, one of the captains I’ve always looked up to. I care about him a lot. I still call him Leo because I just can’t bring myself to say ‘Mister’ and he told me he’s fine with it.”

They then spoke about their journey through the youth national teams up to the senior squad, a path both players have shared. “It’s great,” Rovella emphasised, “because I went through the same experiences as many of the guys here, and now you meet them; it’s like we’ve accomplished the same dream together.”