Look at Burnley in this years Premier League. Overperformed thru great defending. Tarkowski
If Italy still produced those world class defenders and Italian teams in Europe could still shut down the opponent, we could talk about the italian defending pedigree, but currently it doesn't shine thru.
The current meta/FOTM in football with high tempo and high pressing and athletic beasts dominating is something Italian teams have had to realise as well and change attitude towards. Not a coincidence that "new" thinkers liek Sarri, Di Francesco and Inzaghi are dominating Italian football.
That said, the low level italian football clubs still defend better than ditto in England, Spain etc., but that's down to old school italian organisation, that still thrives below the top level.