Italy coach Luciano Spalletti said he took full responsibility for his side's exit from the European Championship in the first knockout round after a lackluster 2-0 defeat by Switzerland.
However, the 65-year-old former Napoli coach also complained that he had not had enough games to prepare his team before the defeat, which marked Italy's first elimination before the Euro quarter-finals in 20 years.
“I have the responsibility,” Spalletti said at the post-match press conference.
“We failed because of my team selection, it never depends on the players.”
Spalletti, however, said he did not have enough time to get to know the team better.
All other coaches had played 30 or more games with their teams before the tournament began, he said, adding: “I only had 10.”
He added: “There is the possibility of building something, but it takes a bit more time. I didn't have much, if you look at my predecessors almost all of them had more games than me.”
Spalletti was appointed manager of the Italian national team in August 2023, following the resignation of Roberto Mancini.
He made six changes to his starting XI against the Swiss, but instead of infusing the team with energy and creativity, they looked disjointed and uninvented, barely managing to get a shot on target.
Italy had to play without one of its most impressive players in Germany, suspended defender Riccardo Calafiori.
Goals in either half from Remo Freuler and Ruben Vargas gave the Swiss their first win over their southern neighbour in 31 years and set the stage for a quarter-final against England or Slovakia in Dusseldorf on 6 July.
“That goal at the beginning of the second half cut our legs, we were not very incisive,” Spalletti told reporters. “What made the difference is the pace, in the first half we had a pace that was much lower than theirs. Even between the individual players there was a different pace.
“Rhythm and freshness always make the difference. I've changed players and let them recover and maybe at the moment we can't do more than that. A World Cup? That's a discussion that will take place later. We need more legs and more rhythm.
Italy finished second in Group B, behind Spain, after a last-gasp draw against Croatia to earn a 1-1 draw that kept the defending champions in Germany, and into Saturday's first round of 16 match. In Berlin.
Information from Reuters and The Associated Press contributed to this report.
