Mancini: ‘Italy won EURO 2020 with entertaining football, we can do it again’
Italy coach Roberto Mancini smiles during a press conference ahead of the Nations League match against Belgium (figc.it)
Roberto Mancini notes Italy won EURO 2020 with entertaining and attacking football, so ‘we can do it again’ starting from the Nations League with Belgium.
It kicks off at the Stadio Olimpico in Rome at 19.45 UK time (20.45 CEST).
You can follow all the build-up and action as it happens from the game on the Liveblog.
These sides are in Nations League Group A along with France and Vincenzo Montella’s Turkiye.
Mancini believes Italy can win again
It is an emotional return to the Nazionale bench for Mancini, who started the run towards the triumphant EURO 2020 Final here at the Stadio Olimpico, but walked away for a disappointing experience in Saudi Arabia in 2023.
“There is some nostalgia for what happened a few years ago,” he confessed to RAI Sport.
“It was a fantastic moment, the team did something extraordinary. We all have to prove something every time we set foot on the pitch, that is true of any job.
“The team has to play well and, if possible, entertain the fans. This is the only way to win them back over. It takes time, but we can do it.”
The ticket sales have been disappointingly sluggish, with only circa 40,000 snapped up, along with over 700 visiting fans from Belgium.
“Sport is made up of difficult defeats, but at the same time it gives you the opportunity to make up for it. We mustn’t forget what happened, mistakes were made, even though going out on penalties to Bosnia and Herzegovina also involves a certain degree of bad luck.”
Some choices were forced upon him, as Alessandro Bastoni is suspended, with Federico Dimarco, Marco Palestra and Bryan Cristante injured.
Nicolò Zaniolo had been tipped by some to start, but fitness concerns see the Udinese player sent to the stands instead, and Alessandro Romano is thrown straight into the middle for his debut as playmaker.
“I think every coach wants to play good football and win games. We managed it before, and I think we can do it again,” added Mancini.
“I don’t know if it’ll take more time, but we will give it our all to manage it pretty quickly, because we need results too.”
This is nominally a 4-3-3 formation, but the presence of Giovanni Di Lorenzo at right-back and Nicolò Cambiaghi on the left of the trident means they can shift to a 3-5-2 when required.
Daniel Maldini is on the bench, as Cagliari and Italy stood by him after his car accident, especially as blood tests showed he was not under the influence of any drugs after a breathalyser found him slightly over the limit.
“I look at what he does on the pitch, and he has started the season very well with Cagliari. The rest is things that can happen, fortunately there were no serious consequences, and next time he will be more careful,” concluded Mancini.
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