Mancini Vows Italy Will Attack France in Crucial Nations League Clash
Italy will attack France rather than protect themselves in Paris, with Roberto Mancini insisting the Azzurri must always target victory in their crucial UEFA Nations League Group A match.
France lead the section after two 1-0 wins, while Italy arrive looking to turn a mixed start into real momentum. The Azzurri lost 2-0 at home to Belgium in their opener but responded emphatically with a 4-1 victory away to Turkiye in Bursa.
Mancini accepts that France possess elite quality across the pitch, but says his side cannot enter the contest with a defensive mindset. He stressed that matches against the strongest opponents must still be approached with the intention of winning, even if the outcome can turn on moments during the game.
Injuries and late selection calls
Italy’s preparations have been complicated by the departures of Giacomo Raspadori and Nicolo Zaniolo through injury. Mancini has also kept nine players at Coverciano rather than taking them into the travelling group.
- Samuele Inacio
- Alessandro Romano
- Honest Ahanor
- Nicolo Cambiaghi
- Diego Coppola
- Daniele Ghilardi
- Eddy Kouadio
- Rolando Mandragora
- Massimo Pessina
The coach still has decisions to make after the exertions of the win in Bursa. Mancini said he would assess the players’ recovery again on the morning of the match before finalising his team.
Scamacca in contention to start
The centre-forward role remains one of the major calls. Pio Esposito and Moise Kean have both been discussed as possible starters, but Mancini also put Gianluca Scamacca firmly into the conversation for a place in the XI.
Italy are expected to make fewer alterations than they did against Turkiye, with Mancini seeking more continuity for the trip to the group leaders.
What happens next: Italy will host Turkiye after the France match in the final game of this international window. The Azzurri are chasing a place in the Nations League quarter-finals, having reached that round last season before losing 5-4 on aggregate to Germany.
