PHOTO
It was May 15, 1910, when Italy played the first match in the history of the national team, taking on France in Milan. In front of 4,000 spectators at the Arena Civica, the Azzurri, who actually wore white shirts at the time, claimed a resounding 6-2 victory. A repeat of that result is unlikely tomorrow evening (20:45, live on Rai 1, with Romanian referee István Kovács in charge), when 70,000 fans are expected at the Stadio Meazza to cheer on Donnarumma and his teammates. Standing in their way will be Zinedine Zidane's new-look France, one of the strongest national teams in the world. Italy held them to a 1-1 draw on October 2nd at the Stade de France. “It was a good performance,” Roberto Mancini recalled at his press conference. “That was also true during the periods when we had to defend, as France managed to put us under pressure. Donnarumma made a couple of important saves in the second half. However, there were also areas where we could have done better, and we hope to improve on those tomorrow. We want to play well and win against one of the strongest teams in the world.”
Italy have not beaten France on home soil for 64 years, dating back to a 2-1 friendly victory in Florence on May 5, 1962. After a long unbeaten run at the Stadio Meazza, the Azzurri have lost their last three matches there. Two years ago, a 3-1 defeat to France in Milan cost Italy top spot in their Nations League group and made their road to the World Cup more difficult. “I won the last game I played at San Siro,” Mancini replied with a smile. “And it wasn't an easy one either, as we were playing England [a 1-0 win in September 2022] and had a lot of young players on the pitch. I have fond memories of that game, and I hope tomorrow's match ends the same way.”
QUARTER-FINALS IN SIGHT. A win against France could secure Italy's place in the quarter-finals, provided Turkey beat Belgium in the other match on the same day. Otherwise, qualification would be decided in Sunday's game against the Red Devils in Brussels. “We're looking to build on our recent performances and make further improvements. We have seven points and two games left, so we know we have a chance to qualify. That's a good position to be in, and perhaps one we didn't quite expect.”
The head coach remained tight-lipped about his starting lineup (“I still have a few doubts in attack, and I'll make my decisions tomorrow”) but joked about the possibility of Mbappé missing the game: “I'd suggest he doesn't take any risks... He's got the Champions League with Real Madrid to think about, so perhaps it's better if he doesn't play tomorrow. Joking aside, France have five or six outstanding forwards, one better than the next, so it's difficult to choose. It wouldn't be the worst thing if Olise caught a cold either! All jokes aside, it's great to play games like this against such strong opponents. That's what makes football special.”
FOCUS ON YOUNG PLAYERS. Mancini has one eye on the present and another on the future, reiterating his commitment to giving young players opportunities: “Everyone complains that young players don't get enough playing time, so we'll do our best to call them up and hopefully make the right choices. If there are matches or situations that give us the opportunity to call up other deserving players who are having an excellent season, we'll do that too, as we always have. There may be times when we need someone with more experience, but our focus is on young players. Training alongside players who compete at the highest level is hugely important for a young footballer.”
A LEADER ON THE PITCH. After scoring his first goal for Italy in the recent match against Turkey in Bologna, Riccardo Calafiori is keen to continue establishing himself as one of the team's key figures as the Azzurri look to move on from the disappointment of missing out on the World Cup. “I'm starting to feel a bit more senior,” he admitted at his press conference, “but it's still early days. I don't have much experience with the national team yet. In every game, though, I try to drive the team forward and lead by example through what I do on the pitch rather than what I say.” Tomorrow, as they did a month ago, Italy face another important test. “The game in Paris was a tough one, but we came away with our heads held high. Tomorrow we're at home, and a full stadium will give us a real boost. We know it's going to be a difficult game, but our main focus has to be on ourselves.” Even if Mbappé fails to recover in time, France still have plenty of firepower, with Olise, Doué and Barcola among their attacking options. “It's exciting to play for your country against players of this calibre, and it's a great test for me personally too. We'll need to be mentally strong and give everything we've got.”
UEFA NATIONS LEAGUE GROUP A1: FIXTURES, RESULTS AND STANDINGS
MATCHDAY 1 (SEPTEMBER 25TH)
Italy 0-2 Belgium
Turkey 0-1 France
MATCHDAY 2 (SEPTEMBER 28TH)
Turkey 1-4 Italy
Belgium 0-1 France
MATCHDAY 3 (OCTOBER 2ND)
France 1-1 Italy
Belgium 3-0 Turkey
MATCHDAY 4 (OCTOBER 5TH)
Italy 3-1 Turkey
France 4-1 Belgium
Standings: France 10 points, Italy 7, Belgium 6, Turkey 0
MATCHDAY 5 (NOVEMBER 12TH)
18:00: Turkey vs. Belgium – Gürsel Aksel Stadium, Izmir
20:45: Italy vs. France – Stadio Giuseppe Meazza, Milan
MATCHDAY 6 (NOVEMBER 15TH)
20:45: Belgium vs. Italy – King Baudouin Stadium, Brussels
20:45: France vs. Turkey – Stade Matmut Atlantique, Bordeaux
