As Thursday's World Cup qualifying showdown approaches, Giampiero Ventura has taken time to speak to his players about recent encounters with Spain, and the feedback has been far from complimentary about La Roja's attitude.
Amongst the Azzurri team, there is a pervading sense that Spain brought defeat in last summer's European Championship last-16 clash upon themselves by approaching the encounter with a lack of humility.
Games between the two have historically been close over the years, but some in the Italian camp feel that Vicente Del Bosque, in particular, didn't give them the respect they deserved- perhaps due to the 4-0 thrashing Spain handed out to them in the Euro 2012 final.
New Italy coach Ventura, however, has been quick to challenge this perspective and has drilled into his players the notion that La Roja are a modest team who want to play the game in the right way.
Knowing that his men face a sizeable task, Antonio Conte's successor is believed to be considering moving away from his typical 4-2-4 to a 3-5-2 in the hope of unsettling a Spain team that seems uncomfortable against a three-man defence.
A similar approach from previous Italian bosses has troubled the Spanish in the past, yet Ventura's problem is the absence of defensive lynchpin Giorgio Chiellini at the heart of defence.
The suspended Juventus man is hard to replace at the best of times but potential replacement Alessio Romagnoli's injury troubles mean that the considerably weaker Angelo Ogbonna could be deployed alongside Andrea Barzagli and Leonardo Bonucci as the third centre-back.
A selection dilemma awaits Ventura, then, as he aims to properly kick-start his tenure after a poor result against France.
He knows 3-5-2 can trouble Spain, but may not have the personnel to execute such a game-plan.
One thing is for sure, though: A loss to Lopetegui would put him firmly under pressure in his homeland and that's something he absolutely can't countenance.
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