Alessandro Bastoni says Italy’s 1-1 draw with France in Paris has given the team belief that they can compete with any opponent.
Italy recovered from Michael Olise’s outstanding early goal to earn a point at the Stade de France on Friday, with Bastoni scoring the equaliser against Zinedine Zidane’s side.
The defender had also scored against Turkiye in his previous appearance. He is now only the third centre-back to score in consecutive matches for Italy in the past 10 years, following Gianluca Mancini in October-November 2025 and Alessio Romagnoli in October-November 2019.
Italy goalkeeper Gianluigi Donnarumma was also central to the result, making seven saves. His most notable intervention came when he denied Desire Doue and Ousmane Dembele in quick succession.
Donnarumma’s performance was his third-highest save total in a match for the Azzurri. He made 10 saves against Bosnia-Herzegovina in March 2026 and eight against Spain in June 2024.
“It was a tough game, we knew it would be, it’s hardly news, but I am so happy with the team performance,” Bastoni told RAI Sport.
“We fought hard, we suffered, we even ruined some of France’s objectives for tonight, as they were prepared for a big celebration. We knew we weren’t coming here for a walk in the park, and that’s how it was.
“It’s certainly pleasing to score again, but the moment it was done, I thought we had to make sure we didn’t concede another, otherwise it was all points. This is a good result that boosts our confidence going forward.
“It’s a strong signal, because if we can put in a performance like this against France in Paris, then we can do it against anyone.”
Italy created the better chances according to expected goals, registering an xG of 1.46 compared with France’s 1.21. Moise Kean and Davide Frattesi both missed good opportunities during the first half.
Head coach Roberto Mancini also viewed the draw as evidence of progress, despite France having more possession.
“We knew it would be a very difficult match, especially at the start, but we did well to allow them very little in terms of chances, even if they had more possession,” Mancini told RAI Sport.
“We played as a team, attacking and defending together, and so it is certainly a very positive evening for us.
“I wanted this to be another step forward in our journey. I liked that we tried to play football, despite being against an extraordinary France side full of champions.”