Juventus coach Massimiliano Allegri believes Italy's obsession with tactics is holding their football back.

Allegri fears they're hurting their young players with their tactical approach.

"I'm worried that we're treating young players like battery hens," Allegri warned.

"In Italy, the national youth teams call-up the players which are best suited to the system. In Germany they call up the best players and then work out where to play them.

"That's the difference. Football has changed. [Arrigo] Sacchi revolutionised football, but at that time it was easier to surprise people.

"Before everything was filmed and analysed, it took three years to figure out how to neutralise [Zdenek] Zeman's 4-3-3.

"You can't surprise anyone these days, so you have to rely on talent.

"I'm not one who goes crazy about plans, I'm more impulsive. Most of the times when inspiration strikes me it's when I'm not thinking about it.

"I often come up with formation changes in the middle of the night.

"It's nonsense to say that you can understand the game better from the stands. Up there you're out of it, you have to stay in the fray, and correctly read a look, or a moment.

"Football is not just tactics and schemes."