Italy vs Belgium: Roberto Mancini’s Return and UEFA Nations League Preview

Roberto Mancini Begins Second Stint as Italy Seeks Stability

Roberto Mancini returns to the Italy dugout after the team failed to appear in three consecutive FIFA World Cups. The 61-year-old manager previously guided the squad to European Championship glory at Euro 2020, delivering one of the most successful eras for Italian football since their 2006 World Cup triumph. Placed in Group A1 alongside France and Turkiye, Italy enters this competition having twice finished in third place in previous Nations League editions.

Mancini inherits a squad in transition and must immediately address personnel gaps for the tournament opener. Inter Milan defender Alessandro Bastoni remains suspended after receiving a red card during Italy’s playoff defeat to Bosnia & Herzegovina. Bastoni’s absence paves the way for Diego Coppola to pair with Gianluca Mancini in central defense. Giorgio Scalvini is expected to be available despite missing a training session on Tuesday, while Michael Kayode contends with Napoli captain Giovanni Di Lorenzo for the right-back role.

Tactical Adjustments and New Faces in the Italian Midfield

Davide Frattesi pushes for a starting berth in midfield, where Mancini is also reportedly planning to hand a debut to 20-year-old Alessandro Romano. The young midfielder is tipped to feature alongside Nicolò Barella and Sandro Tonali.

In the final third, Francesco Pio Esposito and Moise Kean are competing for the central striker position. Meanwhile, Nicolo Cambiaghi is favored to fill the position previously occupied by Nicolo Zaniolo, giving the Italian attack a fresh dynamic as they face Belgium.

Belgium Enters New Era Under Mark van Bommel

Visiting Belgium arrives in Rome facing parallel challenges of reinformation and squad rebuilding. Former Netherlands midfielder Mark van Bommel steps into his first national team coaching role after previous club stints with PSV Eindhoven, Wolfsburg, and Royal Antwerp. Van Bommel succeeds Rudi Garcia, who departed following the 2026 FIFA World Cup, where the team’s lengthy unbeaten streak was eventually snapped by Spain.

The Belgian squad retains core experience through veterans Kevin De Bruyne and Romelu Lukaku, while Youri Tielemans continues as team captain. However, long-term absences and retirements have forced a generational shift. Goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois is taking a break from international duty, Andre Onana is sidelined with a long-term injury, and Axel Witsel has retired from international football. Van Bommel has integrated emerging talents such as Mika Godts, Romeo Lavia, Malick Fofana, and Matias Fernandez-Pardo into the setup.

Historical Head-to-Head and Group A1 Dynamics

Records show that Belgium has yet to secure a victory against Italy in Nations League play, managing two losses and one draw across three prior encounters.

Both nations understand the immediate weight of Group A1, where every point against elite competition like France and Turkiye dictates the path toward the tournament knockout rounds. Following the opening whistle at the Stadio Olimpico, both squads will quickly turn their focus to the next round of group-stage fixtures scheduled in the coming days.