Lorenzo Pellegrini s red card was the decisive moment in Italy s 2-2 draw with Belgium on Thursday, so says Luciano Spalletti.
Italy dropped points for the first time in Nations League Group A2 despite Andrea Cambiaso and Mateo Retegui handing the Azzurri a two-goal advantage.
But five minutes before the interval, Pellegrini was shown a straight red card for a tackle on Arthur Theate. The Roma midfielder had first been given a yellow by the referee before a VAR review.
As he left the field, several whistles from the fans were aimed at Pellegrini, who became the first Italy player to receive a straight red card since Domenico Criscito in June 2018.
Maxim De Cuyper reduced the deficit two minutes later before Leandro Trossard sealed a share of the spoils in the second half at the Stadio Olimpico.
And Spalletti said that Pellegrini s sending off was what swung the contest in favour of the visitors, but was pleased with his side s display with a man less.
The description is that there are episodes that throw away games. You have to be good enough to know how to direct even those episodes, Spalletti said.
Sometimes it s not possible like tonight. What is the description of the match is the displeasure of the boys in the locker room for not having won the game.
It was seen that they were aware that they could make it to another victory and that a bit of bad luck got in the way. This attachment that they showed with sorrow is fundamental.
The game was also done well with ten men. We stooped a little too low, but it became impossible. At the end of the first half, I was in doubt whether to get back to four.
Pellegrini, I have to review the episode, but I think it was expulsion.
He felt a bit frustrated and tried everything because he felt anticipated and if you touch with your studs it s always red.
Then you concede a goal on a free kick, you take an avoidable goal on a corner kick. Tonight it had to be like this, we paid too dearly for these small mistakes .
Well battled, lads
— Italy (@Azzurri_En)
Belgium improved following Pellegrini s dismissal, having registered an expected goals (xG) total of 0.19 from their four shots in the first half.
After the break, the Red Devils produced eight shots, though only one was on target, which proved to be the equaliser as Trossard nipped in front of Gianluigi Donnarumma.
Belgium head coach Domenico Tedesco acknowledged the difficulties his side faced, not helped by Cambiaso s early goal, which was the first time the Azzurri had scored inside a minute since Emanuele Giaccherini did so against Haiti in 2013.
We really struggled, and the red card helped us enormously, Tedesco said.
We know we can do better, but that quick goal against threw all our plans into disarray.
In possession we stuck to the plan, but without the ball we were too high. The Italians always had a surplus in midfield. So our pressing did not work.
It s often even harder to score against 10 Italians. They know how to defend.
From the moment they dropped back – which happened after the red card – it was harder, but we changed the tactics and it worked.
