On October 15 at 2:45am BST, Italy will host Israel in the 4th round of the UEFA A League. Before the match, Italian midfielder Samuele Ricci was interviewed by Rai Sport, sharing his progress, expectations for the match and his performance at the back.
Speaking about the last draw against Belgium, Ritchie said, "The importance of sacrifice in a team I think is one of the most crucial things. As in Thursday's game, although the process may have been complicated, we persevered to the end and got the draw. This means that we have this value, and now we need to continue to work hard and focus on the next games in Israel."
Ritchie often reviews his game to learn from it and improve. "It can make a difference," he said, "Being a midfielder, training is different than other players. I've been practicing the habit of turning my head and watching because a lot of times it's not enough to just watch the ball twice before you receive it, you need to watch it a few more times. Coach Spalletti has also told me to do this more often, which is very important for me. He sometimes sends me videos, many of them about Rodri, from which I can see the essence of great players, even if it's in some small way."
On the question of whether Italy is back to being a strong team, Ricci said, "We know we have excellent qualities, both technically and in terms of individual characteristics. But ultimately, we need to prove ourselves on the pitch."
Talking about the changes in the dressing room, Ritchie said, "The dressing room is definitely a little bit different than it was at the Euros, but the players are basically the same guys. There are a lot of millennial players that we've known before. What's important is the role of the more senior players who have been playing really well and helping us a lot. We can be a bit restless on the pitch, which is normal, but they have always helped us to deal with it. There is the right spirit in training and we train to improve."
Ritchie believes the turning point in his career was the game against France. "Maybe I've played 100 games but only one is remembered," he said, "That game we pulled together and the team played well. For me it was the first game after the Euro loss and it meant a lot."
On his ability to be noticed by everyone, Richie said, "Of course, it makes me happy. Because you have to play differently in certain games against certain players. I focus on doing what I know, doing my best and not overplaying, and it works better that way."
Speaking about his performance at the back, Ritchie said, "I still have a lot to improve on. I've already played at the back in the past, but I need to improve my positioning, which will make a big difference. Even when I was with Vanoli (Torino boss) I used to watch videos of the games and he would send me some analysis to help me improve."
Finally, Ritchie spoke about what it's like to be linked with big clubs like Milan and Manchester City. "Of course it makes me feel very happy," he said, "but I've learned a few things about soccer. When things are going well, you get linked with these clubs and it's gratifying because it means you're in the right job and going in the right direction."
