Slovakia manager Calzona hopes to avoid Italy in Euro 2024 draw

Francesco Calzona's journey has take him from coffee salesman to guiding Slovakia to the Euro 2024 finals, and in Saturday's draw the manager is hoping to avoid his native Italy, at least until the knockout stages.

Calzona's Slovakia are in Pot 3 for the draw, ranked above defending champions Italy in Pot 4, but he would prefer not to be drawn in the same group as Luciano Spalletti's side, a coach he has previously worked under.

"I would like to avoid Italy in the group stages, they're a strong opponent and led by one of the best coaches in the world," Calzona told Reuters.

"Maybe after the first round, that would mean that we have achieved another feat."

The Italian has already defied expectations by taking Slovakia to the Euro finals. He took over in 2022, towards the end of a Nations League campaign which saw them finish third in their League C group.

"Putting together 25-30 players from at least 11 or 12 different championships with different roles and mentalities was the hardest part," Calzona explained.

"Getting them to all to think along the same lines, and in a short time was really difficult."

In a Euro qualifying group containing Portugal, Luxembourg, Iceland, Bosnia & Herzegovina and Liechtenstein, Slovakia finished second, five points ahead of Luxembourg, losing just two games, with both defeats coming against Portugal.

"There was great chemistry between all the components, the federation, the staff and the players, we made a single block with the aim of overturning the predictions that didn't see us as favourites," Calzona said.

"I'm very happy, obviously, but I'm happy most of all for the Slovakian people and the federation."

Calzona's achievement is all the more remarkable as this is his first role as a manager,