Roberto Mancini urges calm as Italy prepare for Nations League clash with Türkiye

Italy head coach Roberto Mancini says there is too much anxiety surrounding the national team as they prepare to face Türkiye in a home Nations League match. Mancini returned to lead Italy in July after they failed to qualify for a third straight World Cup, taking over from Gennaro Gattuso. His second spell began with a 2-0 home loss to Belgium in Rome, where home fans booed the team off at half time and full time. Italy responded with a 4-1 win over Türkiye and a 1-1 draw against France in Paris, leaving them third in their group with four points from three matches, trailing leaders France and Belgium.

Reactions

Mancini defended his squad and upcoming opponent Vincenzo Montella, the Türkiye head coach who faces increasing pressure from the Turkish media. Türkiye have lost three consecutive Nations League games, falling 1-0 to France and 3-0 to Belgium. Mancini praised Montella for doing an excellent job with a talented Turkish squad. Montella dismissed the criticism by pointing to past success, noting that his team reached the World Cup after 24 years and earned promotion to League A. Mancini also plans further changes to his starting lineup to give younger players opportunities for long-term development.

Context

The UEFA Nations League connects European national teams in a competitive league format with promotion and relegation between tiers. Group standings also influence seeding for major tournament qualifiers, making each match vital for long-richten international campaigns.