Sebastian Giovinco believes he will be selected by Italy coach
Antonio Conte for Euro 2016 if he continues his form in the new MLS
season.
Sebastian Giovinco is determined
to earn a place in the Italy squad for Euro 2016, believing his form at
Toronto has helped put him "back in the race" for a spot.
Giovinco
moved to the MLS side from Juventus in January 2015, with suggestions
his time with the national team would end as a result.
The
29-year-old scored 22 goals and supplied 16 assists in his first season
with Toronto, earning a recall to the Italy squad from Antonio Conte
for the Euro 2016 qualifiers against Azerbaijan and Norway last October.
The forward
is confident he will form part of the squad for the tournament in
France if he continues his sensational form in the 2016 MLS season,
which begins when his side face New York Red Bulls on Sunday.
"Some
believed that I wouldn't return to the national team, but I did well
here and I was called up again," Giovinco told La Gazzetta dello Sport.
"The
coach says that he puts no limits [on who he will call up], so I know
it's only going to be down to me to earn his attention.
"The
different calendar in MLS may represent an advantage, but honestly it's
largely an irrelevant one. Starting from today, though, I'm back in the
race.
"The coach already has some ideas, but in three months there's enough time to make some changes.
"Knowing
that I'll be called up if I do well but left at home if I don't is
helpful, regardless of what people may say about my peace of mind."
Italy
lack individual quality in the attacking area, but Giovinco believes
the team ethic instilled by Conte makes up for any shortcomings.
"We
certainly don't have the strikers that we used to and the numbers prove
that," he added. "But now we have elements that can do really well when
they're placed in teams that are set up properly.
"We
used to rely on the creativity of an individual, now it's more about
the game. Times have changed, and everyone has their own opinion.
"It's
a good thing that I can't take my place for granted. This has always
been the case for me, and it's something that strengthened my
character."
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