Florence (AP) – Italy’s coach Roberto Mancini wants to reorganize his team for the game in the Nations League against the German national soccer team.
“Many left because they also had to recover physically. They weren’t in the condition to play four games,” said the coach of the European champions. “We’re taking more risks because we’re obviously changing a lot,” explained the 57-year-old. Italy will receive the selection of national coach Hansi Flick in Bologna on Saturday (8.45 p.m. / RTL).
Mancini sees only one option against the DFB team: “The most important thing would be to defend well and attack better,” he said. Italy meet “one of the strongest teams” who play fast, technically and with pressure and are 100 percent mature. “It won’t be easy, but we’ll try,” he promised.
The Italians suffered a 3-0 defeat in the so-called Finalissima against top star Lionel Messi’s Argentina on Wednesday in London. “Certainly Argentina were better than us,” concluded Mancini. According to him, the departures since the EM victory in July 2021 and injuries have had an impact on the game. Captain and defensive guarantor Giorgio Chiellini said goodbye to the Azzurri.
Already on March 24, Italy failed in the qualifying playoff for the World Cup in Qatar this year. In Palermo, the team lost 1-0 to North Macedonia and missed out on the World Cup. Mancini’s future seemed uncertain after that. “I feel the confidence,” he explained.
Mancini is struggling to find new players when rebuilding the Squadra Azzurra. “That worries us,” he admitted. So there are currently no strikers in Italy. All the young players play in Serie B and have no international experience: “The hope is that those in Serie B can quickly reach Serie A.”