Italy return to Rome on Friday night with the scars of March still close to the surface, but Roberto Mancini insists the next chapter must begin now. The Azzurri face Belgium in the Nations League at 20:45, seeking a first step away from another World Cup qualifying collapse.
Italy look beyond World Cup heartbreak
- Italy’s World Cup hopes ended in March after a play-off defeat to Bosnia: the tie finished 1-1 before Bosnia won 4-1 on penalties.
- The result meant Italy failed to reach a World Cup finals for the third consecutive time.
- Roberto Mancini, back in charge three years after leaving the national-team post, has urged his players not to remain trapped by that disappointment.
- Speaking in Rome on Thursday, Mancini said: “We need to look beyond Bosnia. The players are ready.”
- Captain Gianluigi Donnarumma acknowledged the difficult aftermath but said the squad are determined to move forward. “It was a long and very hard summer, but we now have a huge desire to start a new cycle,” he said.
New faces could feature against Belgium
The rebuilding process could be visible immediately against Belgium. Alessandro Romano, the 20-year-old Cagliari midfielder, has chosen to represent Italy after previously playing for Switzerland at every youth level.
Romano is expected to start in midfield in a 4-3-3 system. Paris FC defender Diego Coppola could also be handed a place in central defence, with Alessandro Bastoni unavailable through suspension.
For Mancini, confidence remains the message despite the scale of Italy’s recent failure. Friday’s match will not erase March, but it offers the Azzurri a chance to put a new team on the pitch and begin looking ahead.
