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#3 Verratti demonstrates his class
It's easy to overlook Marco Verratti's influence in a match when he's playing around more glamorous names for club and country. However, without him, Italy at least, look like a different prospect and one that's a notch lower than usual.
Don't believe? Remind yourself how lively the Azzurri looked today with him pulling the strings from the midfield. Verratti kept the juices flowing with his inch-perfect passes and buccaneering runs. He, in fact, made the most passes in the game with 111 and completed a 100 of those. He also charged forward on numerous occasions to push Portugal on the back foot as well as create scoring opportunities for the front three.
It's a different story the hosts failed to find the back of the net, but that isn't all he did. Verratti was also the battering ram breaking Portugal's play as well as dropping deep to shore up the backline: he made four successful tackles out of six attempts and also showed great vision and vigilance to make another three interceptions.
Recurring injuries blighted Verratti's international time this year, but now that he's back in the mix, looks ready to become the chieftain in Mancini's set-up.
