Roberto Mancini has played down the significance of Italy’s Nations League meeting with Turkiye, insisting it should not be viewed as a “relegation play-off”, while saying the Azzurri can afford to take risks and assess their younger players.
The match begins at 19.45 UK time (20.45 CEST) at the Ataturk Spor Komleski Matli Stadyumu in Bursa.
Italy and Turkiye are bottom of Group A after losing their opening fixtures at home. Italy were beaten 2-0 by Belgium, while France won 1-0 in Turkiye, leaving the Azzurri below their opponents on goal difference.
“We know that we have not started well on this journey that will be long, or short, I don’t know,” Mancini told RAI Sport.
“However, it will certainly take some time to do it, seeing as we’ve only had two training sessions between the two games, and one of them was to remove fatigue. Having said that, I don’t feel time is an enemy right now.”
Italy’s display at the Stadio Olimpico on Friday attracted significant criticism, although Mancini believes there were encouraging signs after half-time.
“I saw a positive second half against Belgium,” he said. “I am not the only one who said that, as Charles De Ketelaere admitted as much when he explained Belgium struggled, so there were positives there too.”
Despite the pressure surrounding the fixture, Mancini urged caution over suggestions that Italy are already fighting to avoid relegation.
“We mustn’t think of this as a relegation play-off. We have to play this game and then we’ll see what happens and how the group pans out.”
Mancini is expected to make seven changes to his starting line-up, with Michael Kayode of Brentford and Aston Villa’s Matteo Ruggeri in line for their senior debuts.
Sandro Tonali has called on supporters and the media not to “tear apart” the Italy team. Mancini backed that message, saying: “Nobody must be torn apart, because this is a football match. We just need to focus on what we see, the football thoughts, and always in good faith, never in bad faith.”
The Nations League now has links to European Championship qualification routes, while Italy’s FIFA ranking remains a concern. Mancini said the competition still allowed room for experimentation.
“We are playing a Nations League, so we can afford to take a few risks,” he said. “It can be an important competition, because we want to go into the Final Four, but we know that we’re in a difficult group and there are five more games to be played.”
He wants Italy to attack with greater purpose after criticism that they were predictable and slow in possession.
“I want to see a good and positive attitude from the start, with a team that plays football always, even in difficult moments,” Mancini said. “Clearly, I’d also like a victory, but if we manage to play well, it would already be a positive.”
Nicolo Zaniolo is unavailable with a muscular injury, while Nicolo Barella, Gianluca Mancini, Diego Coppola, Honest Ahanor, Eddy Kouadio, Samuele Ricci, Samuele Inacio, Mohamed Ali Zoma and Daniel Maldini did not travel because of fitness concerns.
Issa Doumbia made his Italy debut after moving from Venezia to Sporting CP. “These games will also help us get to know the younger players,” Mancini said. “If we don’t see them in a match situation, we cannot tell if they can be protagonists in certain games.”
He also praised Sebastiano Esposito, saying both players had the potential to contribute, while noting Doumbia had played in Serie B last season and was now in the Champions League.
Mancini defended Vincenzo Montella, whose Turkiye side reached the 2026 World Cup but then struggled badly in the tournament and are now facing an injury crisis.
“I believe Turkiye had a very good World Cup and didn’t deserve to lose the first two games,” he said. “The Federation was right to keep Montella, because he’s done a very good job so far.”
