Bastoni urges Italy to believe ahead of Nations League trip to France
Alessandro Bastoni has called on Italy to replace negativity with belief before Friday’s Nations League trip to France, insisting Roberto Mancini’s squad must build on its 4-1 win over Turkiye.
The Inter defender said the coaching staff are working to restore confidence after the Azzurri’s painful recent failures and their absence from the past three World Cup tournaments. Italy are seeking to recover the conviction that drove their Euro 2021 success.
“The coach is trying to improve our self-belief,” Bastoni said. “In Italy, we tend to complain, feel sorry for ourselves and look at the bad things. We also need to recognise when we have done well. The more we say it, the more we will believe it.”
France test follows mixed Italy start
Italy opened their Nations League group with a 2-0 home loss to Belgium before responding emphatically against Turkiye. France arrive in Paris with two 1-0 away wins, having beaten both Turkiye and Belgium in their first two fixtures.
Bastoni believes Italy can trouble any opponent in a single game, but he wants the side to establish a reliable level and a clear identity.
“We can compete with anyone in an individual match, but we want consistency and an Italy team that is recognisable on the pitch,” he said. “The level from the last game has to become our standard.”
Bastoni’s return and Italy’s next dates
The Turkiye victory was Bastoni’s first Italy appearance since his red card in the World Cup play-off against Bosnia and Herzegovina. He scored on his return and said he still feels he owes the country’s supporters after that difficult night.
At club level, the defender ended the season with two trophies at Inter, but said his focus is on proving himself again in the national shirt. He added that the newer members of the squad have brought character and freedom, helping the group move beyond the weight of recent disappointment.
- Friday: Italy face France in Paris in the Nations League.
- October 5: Italy host Turkiye.
- November: Italy meet France and Belgium again in another double-header.
Mancini is expected to use the depth of his group through a demanding run of fixtures. Bastoni, asked which France player he would remove from Zinedine Zidane’s squad, said the choice was impossible because of the strength available to the opposition.
