AFP, Rome :
Top Italy striker Ciro Immobile will be looking to shake off the demons of World Cup failure as the ‘Azzurri’ return to the big stage in Friday’s European Championship opener against Turkey in Rome.
Roberto Mancini’s resurgent four-time world champions are being touted as possible dark horses after failing to qualify for the 2018 World Cup.
But Italy lack the high-profile strike partnerships of rivals such as Portugal’s Cristiano Ronaldo and Joao Felix, France’s Kylian Mbappe and Karim Benzema and England’s Harry Kane and Marcus Rashford.
And despite a club-record 150 goals in five seasons for Lazio, Immobile has been unable to shake off the tag of being unable to score when it matters.
The 31-year-old bore the brunt of criticism for failing to find the net in the World Cup play-off defeat to Sweden in November 2017.
“I didn’t want to play anymore, it was too much sadness to manage and negative thoughts,” recalled Immobile.
Mancini has rebuilt Italy since, with the team on a 27-match unbeaten run.
Immobile won the European Golden Shoe in the 2019-2000 season for his 36 league goals, and scored 20 last campaign as Lazio finished sixth.
For the former Borussia Dortmund and Sevilla reject this could be his last chance to shine on the bigger stage.
“I have a strong personality,” he insists.
“I’m not very gifted technically, but where I don’t get there with the technique I get there with strength, tenacity and cunning.”
Success has been slow coming on the national team since Immobile made his debut in 2014.
He has scored 13 goals in 46 games, but has found more consistency under Mancini with six goals.
Italy’s strike options also include Torino skipper Andrea Belotti, who has scored 12 goals in 33 games.
