Italy needs only a draw against Belgium on Monday at 02.45 WIB in Brussels to reach the UEFA Nations League quarterfinals, though head coach Roberto Mancini warned his squad against playing for a minimum result.
Gli Azzurri sit atop Group A1 with 10 points from five matches, holding the head-to-head advantage over second-placed France. Belgium occupies third place with nine points.
Belgium must win to advance to the knockout stage, while a victory for Italy guarantees top spot in the group regardless of the outcome between France and Turkey. In their first meeting in September in Rome, Italy suffered a 2-0 defeat against the Belgian side managed by Mark van Bommel.
Mancini maintained an optimistic outlook despite that earlier loss in Rome. He spoke during a press conference in Brussels ahead of the final group fixture.
"Since I arrive, I always see positive things," Mancini told Football Italia. "I expect this and I remain optimistic even after the defeat in the first match. We play well in the second half and maybe even deserve a draw."
"We will play our own style of game," Mancini said. "According to me, Belgium is a team reinforced by good players, who have technical ability and speed. The match later will not differ much from the match against France."
The Italian manager emphasized that his side holds a slight advantage heading into the contest, but rejected any sense of ease.
"Is this a dangerous match? Of course because this is the final match," Mancini said. "We will start the match with a little advantage, but that doesn’t mean we can feel satisfied."
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