Mancini: ‘Italy always play to win, even against top team like France’

BURSA, TURKEY - SEPTEMBER 28: Roberto Mancini, Head Coach of Italy, looks on before the UEFA Nations League 2026/27 group phase match between Türkiye and Italy at Atatürk Spor Kompleksi Matli Stadyumu on September 28, 2026 in Bursa, Turkey. (Photo by Ahmad Mora/Getty Images)

Roberto Mancini assures Italy ‘must always play looking for the victory’ even in tomorrow’s Nations League showdown with France. ‘There will be fewer changes than in Turkiye.’

It kicks off at the Stade de France in Paris on Friday at 19.45 UK time (20.45 CEST).

The Nations League has been a mixed bag so far for the Azzurri, who were crushed 2-0 at home by Belgium, but then earned a 4-1 victory away to Vincenzo Montella’s Turkiye.

It therefore remains to be seen which side we’ll see in Paris against the Group A runaway leaders, who won both their games 1-0 on their travels.

Mancini wants to see Italy improvement

“It will certainly be a great game against a top team, full of extraordinary players, but we always want to make a good impression and will do our best,” Mancini told Sky Sport Italia.

“When you are up against such strong teams, you never play not to win, so naturally we must always play looking for the victory. After that, anything can happen in a game situation.”

Giacomo Raspadori and Nicolò Zaniolo have left the camp due to injury, while nine others were left behind to train at Coverciano.

They are Samuele Inacio, Alessandro Romano, Honest Ahanor, Nicolò Cambiaghi, Diego Coppola, Daniele Ghilardi, Eddy Kouadio, Rolando Mandragora and Massimo Pessina.

“I have a few doubts, we’ll evaluate tomorrow morning to see how some have recovered after Bursa.”

When Mancini was pressed on some particular choices, such as Pio Esposito or Moise Kean upfront, he threw in a wild card.

“Or Scamacca? We’ll make fewer changes than we saw in Bursa, that’s for sure.”