ROME (AP) — Italy’s transformation from a team that failed to qualify for the 2018 World Cup into an attack-minded juggernaut can be traced back to Serie A teams like Atalanta and Sassuolo. So it’s no wonder why the Sassuolo tandem of Manuel Locatelli and Domenico Berardi plus Atalanta midfielder Matteo Pessina have been the breakout stars of Italy’s perfect run through the group phase of the European Championship. Italy coach Roberto Mancini says his players are used to attacking more because “there are other squads that do it so they don’t have any problems carrying it out when they come in here.”
