Italy came through a demanding evening in Bologna with a 3-1 victory over Turkey on Monday, recovering from a sluggish opening after Roberto Mancini reshaped the Azzurri side with nine changes.
The scale of the rotation affected Italy’s rhythm early on, but the hosts found a way back into the match and completed the turnaround. Mancini said fatigue had been widespread within the squad, while accepting that such extensive alterations would inevitably interrupt the team’s usual flow.
“Everyone was tired, but we managed to respond after a slow start,” Mancini said. “I knew that making so many changes would cost us some fluency, yet we still finished the game well.”
Cards prompt second-half changes
Gianluca Scamacca and Matteo Ruggeri were both withdrawn during the second half after receiving yellow cards. Mancini explained that the decisions were precautionary, believing the referee was close to taking further action against the pair.
“They had been booked and I felt the referee was ready to punish them again,” he said. “That is why I decided to take them off.”
Belgium trip now in view
The win leaves Italy in second place in their Nations League group, a position that would carry them into the quarter-finals. Mancini urged restraint, however, with a decisive assignment in Belgium awaiting in November.
“We have to keep going in this direction,” he said. “In November we must be ready to play for everything in Belgium. We have improved what was a difficult situation, but it is still too soon for conclusions.”
Asked which figure from his first spell as Italy coach he misses most, Mancini named Gianluca Vialli, the former Azzurri striker and his close friend who died in 2023.
