Chelsea is the most well represented club at Euro 2020 with a total of 17 players spanning a plethora of teams. There are just three Blues players sitting in Group A (Italy, Wales, Switzerland and Turkey) with Jorginho and Emerson playing for Italy and Ethan Ampadu for Wales. Of the aforementioned, only the former plays a major role in his national team’s set-up.
Italy kicked off the tournament in grand fashion from the Stadio Olimpico in Rome. The eyes of the world were on gli Azzurri as they squared off against Turkey. It’s safe to say they did not disappoint either. Goals from Merih Demiral (OG), Ciro Immobile and Lorenzo Insigne saw Italy cruise to a 3-0 victory, but the goalscorers weren’t always the standout performers. Chelsea star Jorginho dominated the match from the middle of the park and earned plaudits for his display.
For those largely unfamiliar with Roberto Mancini’s side, it plays a similar style to the Blues, but it lines up in a 4-3-3. Mancini puts an emphasis on beautiful, free-flowing football, something many of those that came before him did, as well. Italy may not be the flashiest team in terms of personnel, it surely is a treat on the eyes though. It’s also insanely effective as gli Azzurri haven’t lost a match in the last 28 attempts, dating back to September of 2018.
Much like in Thomas Tuchel’s Champions League-winning side, Jorginho plays an integral part for his country. He is the deep-lying dictator who controls the tempo and distribution of play for his team. It’s unclear whether or not Italy would be able to play the same style without the Brazilian-born midfielder; my money is on no though. In a team full of Serie A superstars, Jorginho often goes unappreciated, similar to his standing with the Blues. Regardless, he goes about his work without much fuss. The 29-year-old often finds himself getting the short end of the stick because of his misunderstood role; hopefully his performance on Friday night will put a stop to that.
Jorginho put on a clinic against Turkey in the major tournament’s inaugural contest. He completed 94 percent of his passes, won five of his six attempted duels, tallied four interceptions and made three tackles. Those stats show an efficient defensive midfielder who covered his ground well. His performance goes even deeper though. Jorginho created three big chances on the night. This is especially impressive when one considers his close proximity to the Italian back line throughout the 90 minutes and the attacking prowess of the midfielders (Manuel Locatelli and Nicolo Barella) in front him.
The veteran regista picked up right where he left off for his club. His showing against Turkey just goes to show that, despite a few blunders, the Italian always bounces back even stronger. Now a Champions League winner, Jorginho will look to make it two trophies in a row as he guides this scrappy Italy side through the Euros.
How far do you think Jorginho and Italy will advance in Euro 2020? Let us know in the comments or on Twitter!