Bologna, Oct 5 – Italy boss Roberto Mancini watches the Nations League clash with Turkey at Renato Dall’Ara, captured by Marco Luzzani.
Mancini concedes Italy aren’t favorites to overtake France tomorrow, but the squad aims to lift spirits and end the San Siro curse.
The match kicks off at San Siro on Thursday, 19:45 GMT (20:45 CET).
Italy sit second in Group 1 with seven points, trailing France’s ten, while Belgium linger on six.
The final fixtures send Italy to Belgium and pit France against bottom‑placed Turkey.
Mancini’s ambition for Italy
“We want to build on our displays. With seven points and two games left, qualification is still within reach,” Mancini told reporters.
“It feels positive, especially given how the campaign began – quite unexpected.”
After a 2‑0 home loss to Belgium that sparked relegation fears, Italy now hover on the brink of the quarter‑finals.
“We performed well in France, even when defending against a great side. There are areas to sharpen before tomorrow’s win‑or‑lose game.”
The 1‑1 draw in Paris lifted morale and marked the only occasion Zidane’s France dropped points.
“It was a tough encounter; France pressed us hard and Gigio rescued us in the second half. Tomorrow we’ll aim to beat one of the world’s elite teams. In my view, France remains the benchmark Italy must beat.”
“Zidane has a stellar record, knows his players, and succeeded at Real Madrid – his international coaching future looks bright.”
Donnarumma has never been welcomed at San Siro since leaving Milan, even after moves to PSG and Manchester City.
“Gigio is an excellent keeper and a remarkable young man. Past boos don’t define him. Fans should cheer the team, and we’ll give them a reason to do so,” Mancini said.
The venue has been unlucky for the Azzurri, with three consecutive defeats there.
“Yet I secured my latest win on that pitch, a hard‑fought victory over England.”
The stadium also hosts Inter’s Nicolò Barella and Milan’s Alphadjo Cissé, who could debut for Italy.
“The venue doesn’t sway my choices. Both players are in form, which bodes well for the squad,” he added.
Inter’s usual 3‑5‑2 will shift to Mancini’s 4‑3‑3, requiring Bastoni and Dimarco to adapt.
“They’ve already operated in a back four, so a few sessions will get them comfortable.”
Reports suggest France may miss Mbappé due to a hamstring, while they already lack Thuram, Kalulu, Tchaouameni, Koné, Saliba, Koundé, Lacroix, Dembélé, Akliouche and Lepaul.
“If Michael Olise catches a cold, I wouldn’t mind,” Mancini smiled.
“Mbappé has Champions League duties, so resting him tomorrow is sensible…”
“All jokes aside, facing strong opposition is the joy of football. We’ll give our all, aim to win and improve on what we’ve done.”
“France boasts a wealth of quality forwards; picking a starter is genuinely tough.”
Injuries have forced changes, with Gianluca Mancini sidelined and Zaniolo withdrawing for personal reasons.
“Our wingers are young and inexperienced, but these matches will help them grow, and in six months they should be stronger.”
“We must call up youngsters to assess them now and plan for the future,” the coach explained.
“Everyone wanted fresh faces, and it felt logical. Youngsters benefit from training with seasoned players at a higher level.”