Manchester United star Matteo Darmian just scored this beauty for Italy

Italy qualified for the Euro 2016 finals when they won 3-1 in Azerbaijan on Saturday to make sure of one of the two automatic qualifying places from Group H.

To a few extent, t’was ever thus. “They’re a good team, they’ve grown a lot”, he said to Sky.

Of course, an Italian team doing anything simple can sometimes be a task that is a little out of the realm of possibilities, but a can dream, right?

Italy suffered a blow earlier this week when Napoli forward Lorenzo Insigne, who hit a brace of goals in a 4-0 rout of AC Milan last week, was sent home with a swollen knee.

Back Italy to win on their travels this Saturday. However, two considerations are worth underlining.

Italy do not, as the temperamental failings of the Euro 2012 strike force of Antonio Cassano and Mario Balotelli mean neither has realised his considerable potential.

Italy were far from imperious and defensive blunders allowed Azerbaijan to pull level on 31 minutes through Dmitri Nazarov, who pounced on Giorgio Chiellini’s mistake to leave Gianluigi Buffon flat-footed in the Italy goal. Players like Italo-Brazilian Eder, Stephan El Shaaraway and Graziano Pellé in attack, schemer Marco Verratti in midfield and full backs Mattia Di Sciglio and Matteo Darmian are now in the template too.

‘Pirlo is here, he is the most important player in this group.

The Italy worldwide has netted once in the Europa League and his performances on the whole have paved the way for a return to the global fold, courtesy of Italy boss Antonio Conte. Azerbaijan are down to 10 men. If Conte plays both men against Norway in their final group game tomorrow night, we may get another chance to see if Pirlo and Verratti can happily “co-habit”.

Former Arsenal and Manchester United striker Robin Van Persie came on as a late substitute to earn his 100th cap for the Netherlands.

The Italians could still lose top spot in Group H, however, should Norway defeat them in Rome tomorrow.

The positive change for Azerbaijan has been the appointment of new head coach Robert Prosinecki, who took over in December last year on a two-year deal, replacing Berti Vogts.

The Norwegians, too, can forget any notion that Italy will be in “relax” mode. Croatia (16th) are ahead of us (17th) in the Federation Internationale de Football Association rankings but we are ahead of them in the group standings.