National team, Mancini: Balotelli or Joao Pedro, the coach’s doubt

Roberto Mancini has a dilemma: Mario Balotelli yes or no? And consequently: Balotelli or Joao Pedro? Somehow “side” choice, because it would still be the fourth striker to be enrolled in the group that will have to play the World Cup between 24 and – we hope – 29 March: Immobile, Belotti and Scamacca can already feel a pass in their pocket, like Raspadori who is also adaptable to make the outside in 4-3-3. However, these are the two new faces of the stage at the end of January, which the coach had called to have an even more global vision of the forces available, at a time when there was no certainty about Belotti and the two Sassuolo forwards weren’t still taken off. And in the case of Balotelli, it will in any case be a question of a choice that can lead to discussion, in one sense or another. As we know, Mancio would always be called by Mario, in theory. But in this case he has to make objective assessments: at the stage he was not sorry, even in terms of attitude, and he continued to study him and to follow him in practically all the games, which spoke to him of a player with limited dynamism, who among the other plays in a league – so to speak – not very training. Is it worth calling Balotelli to stay on the bench and be employed if necessary, only 15-20 ‘? Or for this use could Joao Pedro be preferable, who plays in our league continuously and is also adaptable from outside (and for this reason perhaps today he has a slight advantage over Mario)? Of the two, it is likely that he will call only one: the coach will think about it until the last useful day, that is Friday.

The certainty is that the group will be very large: in addition to the four goalkeepers (Meret is injured, Gollini will be there), between 27 and 30 players. Beyond the unforeseen events in the race – see more recent past experiences – the coach will monitor some uncertain situations which will then determine the exact number of players called up: the ideal would be to stop at 30, but it will not risk anything, even if the base of the team will be identical. to that of the European Championship and subsequent qualifications. Mancini has been in full world immersion for some time. An itinerant coach: in the last month he met all his players in the various reference cities, including Paris and London, and on the weekends he saw practically one game a day, spreading his blitzes throughout Italy according to the calendar. Yesterday, in Rome, the circle of the “strategic” approach to the crucial 12 days was closed: meeting with all his staff, to examine in detail the work program and the forces available. Evaluations to be rechecked based on last night’s match and the European ones on Wednesday and Thursday. Mancio expects Juventus-Villarreal in particular: the other main doubts, beyond the fourth striker, are related to the Bianconeri and therefore to the defensive department. Chiellini and Bonucci should return between tomorrow and Sunday and the coach – who is careful with the large group anyway – obviously hopes to have both available, at least for the second race, the one that will have to give us the World Cup. In any case, Chiello will play only that one, for Bonucci it will be evaluated based on the responses of his recovery. There are several doubts relating to Bernardeschi: he has already returned ten days ago, but has missed the next match and therefore has not played for practically two months.

The coach will formalize the squad list on Friday, after the latest matches following the European matches of Roma and Atalanta. He will already be in Coverciano that day, if not on Thursday evening, and at the latest on Saturday morning he will begin to see the first players: he has not obtained the transfer of the 30th day of the championship but at least that the squad, once their match has been played, will transfer. immediately in Florence: therefore the first to arrive will be the players of Sassuolo, Genoa and Turin and probably Zaccagni (disqualified for the derby on Sunday), then on Saturday evening those of Naples-Udinese and Inter-Fiorentina, Sunday morning who will have played Cagliari- Milan and by Sunday evening the others, including those involved in the postponement (Bologna-Atalanta).