Italy’s national football team has secured seven points from its opening four UEFA Nations League matches under head coach Roberto Mancini, mounting a recovery following a difficult defeat against Belgium at Rome’s Stadio Olimpico. Mancini’s side recently concluded this cycle of fixtures with a 3-1 victory, achieving the minimum objective of third place while leaving open the possibility of further progress.
The campaign began poorly with a 0-2 loss to Belgium at the Olimpico, where the visiting team secured the result in the opening 45 minutes against a struggling defense. However, the team rebounded through subsequent performances, including a 1-4 victory in Turkey and a 3-1 return win in Bologna. The matches have highlighted new additions to the squad, such as Vergara, Doumbia, and Romano, alongside contributions from established players.
Mancini Uses 4-3-3 Formation to Build Play
Under Mancini, the team utilizes a 4-3-3 formation designed to build play through triangles involving full-backs, central midfielders, and wingers. During the match against Turkey, the team initially held 41 percent possession before shifting momentum through substitutions and tactical adjustments. The introduction of fresh elements on the flanks enabled players like Bastoni and Doumbia to increase their offensive impact.
Team Wins 4-1 with Goals from Scamacca and Pio Esposito
Prior to Gianluca Scamacca opening the scoring, the team conceded six shots, three of which were on target, while registering 41 percent possession. The fixture in Bursa saw a 1-4 victory featuring appearances from the Esposito brothers, Pio and Sebastiano, with Pio scoring and Sebastiano named among the top performers. In the return match at Bologna’s Stadio Dall’Ara, Riccardo Calafiori also scored before celebrating in front of his former Curva, marking a venue where Mancini had debuted in Serie A in 1981 at the age of 16. Tactical setups deployed Di Lorenzo on the right alongside Ruggeri on the opposite flank, while subsequent contributions came from Frattesi, alongside younger talents like Romano, Vergara, and Doumbia.
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