Italy have lost part of their identity trying to implement the possession-based style of play followed by European champions Spain and Pep Guardiola's all-conquering Barcelona side, defender Giorgio Chiellini has said.

Spain, 2010 World Cup winners, are bidding for the third successive European Championship in France, while manager Guardiola saw his immensely successful four-year spell at Barcelona yield 14 trophies, including two Champions League titles.

With Italy's past successes, including the 2006 World Cup, being built on defensive solidity, Chiellini urged the country to stick to its roots but conceded the players were open to minor tweaks being made to their game.

"The idea that we do not play with the ball enough - that we always think about defending first - became a big topic, and so you had this project of Spanish-isation, Guardiola-isation," Chiellini told British media.

"And the truth is that, playing like this, we lost a few characteristics that have always made Italy great... we are trying to find a compromise. To get better at some things we were closed to, mentally, but without losing the good things that history had given us."

Italy start their Euro 2016 campaign with a clash against Belgium on Monday, followed by group stage games against Sweden on Friday and Republic of Ireland on June 22.