Rome had barely emptied when Roberto Mancini faced the weight of another difficult night for Italy. Belgium’s 2-0 Nations League win at the Stadio Olimpico left the new Italy coach confronting a squad still marked by its latest World Cup failure.
A defeat carrying old scars
Mancini said the National Team remained mentally affected by missing the last World Cup, insisting that Italy must stop looking back if it is to rebuild.
- Italy lost 2-0 at home to Belgium on Friday in the Nations League.
- The defeat came in front of 47,000 spectators at Rome’s Stadio Olimpico.
- Supporters booed the Italian players at the final whistle.
- Italy had been denied a third consecutive World Cup appearance after losing their European play-off final against Bosnia and Herzegovina in late March.
- That tie ended 1-1 before Bosnia and Herzegovina won 4-1 on penalties.
“It is probably still weighing on the players a little,” Mancini said. “We have to put it behind us, because if we keep thinking about what happened, we will not be able to improve properly.”
The 61-year-old, who previously held the Italy job between 2018 and 2023, urged his players to approach the next phase with a different mindset. “We need to think positively and stop going over what happened again and again. We cannot change the past.”
Mancini sees signs after the interval
The coach did not claim to have an immediate answer when asked how long it would take Italy to return among world football’s leading nations. His first camp has been brief, and he stressed that two training sessions could not produce a flawless 90-minute performance.
Italy had hoped for more before half-time against Belgium, but Mancini identified the opening 25 minutes of the second half as the basis for the response he wants.
- Italy were more aggressive after the break.
- Mancini said his side won every second ball during that spell.
- Belgium created nothing for 25 minutes, in his assessment.
- The coach said the performance was therefore not entirely negative despite the result.
“We must build from those first 25 minutes of the second half,” he said. “We were very aggressive, we collected all the second balls and we gave away absolutely nothing.”
Turkey next as Italy seek a reset
Italy return to action on Monday at 20:45 against Turkey, with Mancini looking for a sharper performance and a first step away from the frustration hanging over the squad.
He also accepted the reaction from the home crowd. “It is normal,” Mancini said. “You lose, and supporters are disappointed and angry. That is part of football. It will be even better in the end, when we get back to the top.”
