Roberto Mancini Commends Italy's Resilience in 4-1 Win Over Turkey Despite Harsh Conditions

Roberto Mancini, Italy's manager, expressed his pride after his team secured a commanding 4-1 victory against Turkey in Bursa. The match posed challenges with heavy rain and a difficult pitch, yet the Azzurri produced a strong performance to recover from their earlier loss to Belgium.

Technical Skill Shines Through Adverse Weather

Mancini praised his players for their professionalism in tough conditions that could have disrupted their usual passing style. Despite the heavy surface, Italy maintained composure and precision throughout the full 90 minutes. Reflecting on the match, Mancini told Sky Sport Italia, "I am satisfied because the boys played well on a tough pitch and it wasn't easy. They did beautiful things and I'm happy for them because they deserve it."

Tactical Setup Confuses Turkish Defense

The Italian attack featured a fluid front three that consistently troubled the Turkish defense. Mancini explained the tactical plan involved assigning distinct roles to his forwards to exploit spaces effectively. This approach stretched Turkey’s defensive lines while creating central overloads that led to multiple goals.

He described the instructions given: "I asked the attackers to start wide, with Sebastiano Esposito staying wide on the left, Giacomo Raspadori moving inside to support, and Michael Kayode attacking on the right. In the second half, Turkey reacted predictably, which was normal." Mancini acknowledged the shifts in momentum during the game but praised his team's control overall.

Michael Kayode’s Memorable Debut

Michael Kayode had a standout debut for Italy, scoring his first goal for the senior team while impressing with his balance of defensive work and forward runs. Mancini highlighted Kayode’s impact went beyond the goal: "He was very good, it was his first time with the national team and it wasn’t easy for him, but he was good beyond the goal scored."

Looking Ahead to France Clash

Despite the resounding win, Mancini remains focused on steady progress rather than celebration. He emphasized that this victory is just part of a longer process. Recovery and preparation are now key as Italy faces a challenging match against France, a world-class opponent, with higher stakes.

Mancini compared the morale boost from this win to the setback of the Belgium defeat, saying, "It’s worth as much as the defeat against Belgium was worth. The important thing is that the boys have understood they can do good things, but the road is still long. Now we have to recover our strength because then there is a difficult match against France."

• UEFA Nations League A Matches:
• France (FRA) vs Italy (ITA): 2 Oct 2026, 21:45
• Belgium (BEL) vs Turkey (TUR): 2 Oct 2026, 21:45