Mancini tests 4-3-3 system as Italy team to take on France begins to take shape

Roberto Mancini at the Italy training session in September 2026 (figc.it)

Roberto Mancini and a squad of 23 Italy players took to the training pitch at Coverciano ahead of Friday night’s Nations League test away against France, and some clues as to the potential starting XI are beginning to seep through. 

Football Italia was among the accredited media at Coverciano as Italy put in their final training session before flying over to Paris on Thursday afternoon. The Azzurri will be in Nations League action against France at the Stade de France at 19.45 BST on Friday evening. 

Mancini has gone with a 4-3-3 system for his first two matches back in charge of the Italy national team, which resulted in a 2-0 defeat at home against Belgium last week and a 4-1 win away against Vincenzo Montella’s Turkey on Monday night. 

• Read more: Mancini prepares to leave 9 Italy players at home for France test including Romano and Inacio

The signs from Thursday’s training session not only indicate that Mancini is set to go for a 4-3-3 again, but which players are likely to feature in each position. 

Of the 10 outfielders, Mancini rested Giovanni Di Lorenzo and Michael Kayode at right-back, with Matteo Ruggeri and Riccardo Calafiori at left-back, which comes as little surprise. At centre-back, Giorgio Scalvini and Gianluca Mancini were tested on the right-hand side and Alessandro Bastoni, expected to start against France, was the only player tested on the left-hand side. 

La Gazzetta dello Sport predicts that it will be a back four of Kayode, either Scalvini or Mancini, with Bastoni on the left of centre-back and Calafiori at left-back. 

In midfield, Sandro Tonali and Samuele Ricci were tested as the deep-lying midfielders. Nicolo Barella and Davide Frattesi were tested in the right channel, with Nicolo Fagioli and Issa Doumbia on the left of the midfield three. 

La Gazzetta predicts that three of Tonali, Barella, Frattesi and Fagioli will start against France on Friday. For Tonali, it could be his third consecutive start of the international break. 

Pio Esposito has also started both of Italy’s matches so far this break and could potentially come out of the starting line-up to give an opportunity to Moise Kean. They, along with Gianluca Scamacca, were the three options tested at centre-forward in Thursday’s training session. 

It remains to be seen who will complete the Azzurri attack, though. Daniel Maldini and Antonio Vergara were tested on the right of the attack during Thursday’s session with Sebastiano Esposito and Mohamed Ali Zoma to the left. 

Potential Italy XI vs. France

(4-3-3): Donnarumma; Kayode, Scalvini/Mancini, Bastoni, Calafiori; Barella/Frattesi, Tonali, Fagioli; Maldini/Vergara, Kean, S.Espostio/Zoma.