Nations League official line-ups: Italy vs. Turkiye
Nicolò Barella during an Italy training session (@azzurri)
Italy make numerous changes for the Nations League game against a Turkiye side robbed of their best talent, including Gianluca Scamacca, Nicolò Barella and the first start for Antonio Vergara.
It kicks off at the Stadio Dall’Ara in Bologna at 19.45 UK time (20.45 CEST).
You can follow all the build-up and action as it happens on the Liveblog.
The Azzurri have had a mixed bag since coach Roberto Mancini returned to the bench, losing 2-0 at home to Belgium, but then smashing Turkiye 4-1 in Bursa before the creditable 1-1 draw away to France.
Now they hope to close the gap on the leading pair in Group A and build some momentum, although the fourth game in two weeks sees massive squad rotation.
Moise Kean was the latest to withdraw through injury, with players like Diego Coppola, Momo Zoma and Samuele Ricci left in the stands, but Samuele Inacio is in the squad for the first time and hoping for his debut.
Napoli winger Vergara got his debut in Paris and here makes his first start, completing a totally revamped trident with Scamacca and Cagliari’s Daniel Maldini.
Only Alessandro Bastoni, who was suspended in Bursa and scored in his last two games, remains from the outfield players.
Issa Doumbia also gets his first start in midfield with returning Barella and Alessandro Romano.
Vincenzo Montella is facing calls for his dismissal after losing all three Nations League games, scoring one goal and conceding eight.
He has a weakened squad, as along with injured Juventus forward Kenan Yildiz and Inter midfielder Hakan Calhanoglu, this time he is also without suspended Real Madrid talent Arda Guler and striker Baris Alper Yilmaz.
Eintracht Frankfurt creative midfielder Can Uzun is also struggling with a muscular issue.
Juventus full-back Zeki Celik starts, with ex-Juve defender Merih Demiral, while goalkeeper Ugurcan Cakir had been suspended for the 4-1 home defeat to Italy.
Italy: Donnarumma; Di Lorenzo, Mancini, Bastoni, Ruggeri; Barella, Romano, Doumbia; Vergara, Scamacca, Maldini
Italy bench: Carnesecchi, Vicario, Kayode, Calafiori, Cambiaghi, Tonali, P Esposito, Fagioli, Inacio, Frattesi, Scalvini, S Esposito
Turkiye: Cakir; Celik, Bardacki, Ozan Kabak, Kadioglu; Yuksek, Ozcan, Khaveci, Elmali; Yunus Akgun, Simsir
Turkiye bench: Altay Bayindir, Sengezer, Demiral, Topcu, Elmaz, Akturkoglu, Ege Tiknaz, Deniz Gul, Fakili, Kabasakal, Oguz Aydin, Eskihellac
Ref: Marciniak (POL)
Italy
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Turkey
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Last matches
| 02-10-2026 |
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| 28-09-2026 | W | ||||
| 25-09-2026 |
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Last matches
| L | 02-10-2026 | ||||
| L | 28-09-2026 | ||||
| L | 25-09-2026 |
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