Bologna’s Renato Dall’Ara hosts Italy and Turkey on Monday, 5 October, as Group A1 reaches its fourth Nations League matchday. Roberto Mancini’s Italy arrive with quarter-final ambitions, while Vincenzo Montella’s Turkey are still looking for their first point of the 2026/27 campaign.
Key takeaways
- Kick-off is scheduled for 15:45 Brasília time at the Renato Dall’Ara.
- Italy previously beat Turkey 4-1 and also drew away to France.
- Turkey have lost all three group fixtures, against France, Italy and Belgium.
- The September-October international window concludes with this fourth round before group matches resume in November.
- The Nations League carries implications for Euro 2028 and the European play-offs for the 2030 World Cup.
Italy seek to turn momentum into a group challenge
The Italian side return home after an encouraging pair of away results: a four-goal victory over Turkey followed by a draw in France. Those performances have brought Italy into contention near the top of Group A1, and a win in Emilia-Romagna would strengthen their push for a place in the quarter-finals.
Turkey’s situation is more difficult. Their campaign has begun with defeats in each of their three outings, and the team are attempting to recover from World Cup disappointment while ending their wait for both a first victory and first point in the group.
The Nations League is being staged for a fifth time in 2026/27. This edition has used an extended block of fixtures across September and October, with the current round bringing that phase to a close. The group programme will return in November.
Expected teams in Bologna
Mancini is expected to set Italy up with Gianluigi Donnarumma in goal; Kayode, Scalvini, Bastoni and Calafiori across the defence; Frattesi, Tonali and Fagioli in midfield; and a front three of Kean, Pio Esposito and Sebastian Esposito.
Montella’s likely Turkey selection features Çakir; Çelik, Demiral and Bardakci; Kadioglu, Elmaz, Akturkoglu, Arda Guler and Yuksek; with Aydin and Yilmaz in attack.
Beyond the immediate group standings, the competition has a wider place in the international calendar. Its outcomes feed into the qualification route for Euro 2028, to be held in England and the Republic of Ireland, and can also affect access to the European qualifying play-offs for the 2030 World Cup.
