Italy gets new direction and Mancini returns after Pirlo's failure
After a failed appointment of Andrea Pirlo as Italy's national team coach, Roberto Mancini has taken the reins again. The former Manchester City manager is seen as the man who can completely turn things around. On September 18 he announced his first squad, a move that immediately sparked much discussion.
Mancini returns as national team coach
Andrea Pirlo was originally set to become the new Italy national team coach, but the negotiations did not go well. Roberto Mancini, who previously led Italy to a European title in 2021, is now back at the helm. His experience as manager of Manchester City and Inter Milan raises high expectations.
Mancini missed three World Cups, but his earlier success with the Azzurri gives hope for a new era. The Italian football federation hopes he can lead the side back to better times, now that the national team is preparing for a busy Nations League period.
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Squad with dual nationalities
The squad presented by Mancini includes, among others, Samuele Inacio (Borussia Dortmund) and Issa Doumbia (Sporting Portugal), both with dual nationality. Also Alessandro Romano, who has been loaned from AS Roma to Cagliari, can still opt for Switzerland. Mancini wants to bind the three players permanently to Italy; Inacio already played a friendly for Italy in June.
Further names such as Alphadjo Cisse (AC Milan), Mattia Liberali (Como), Constantino Favasuli (Napoli), Simone Lontani (Parma), Michael Kayode (Brentford) and Nicolò Tresoldi (Club Brugge) were mentioned as potential reinforcements. These players are under scrutiny by the new coach, who wants to utilise a broad talent pool.
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Italy will play as many as five matches in the Nations League in September and October, against Belgium (home), Turkey (away), France (away) and Turkey (home). The intensive schedule gives Mancini the chance to test his new squad in practice and restore the team's international reputation.