Looking forward to playing against Mancini of France: We are determined to deliver a great performance.

Italy coach Roberto Mancini said at a press conference that the match against France, coached by football legend Zinedine Zidane, would be a great game, and emphasized that the "Azzurri" were determined to put on a spectacular performance.

The third round of group stage matches in Group A of the 2026/27 UEFA Nations League will take place, with Italy traveling to the Stade de France to challenge France.

With goals from Bastoni, Fratesi, Caiode, and Pio Esposito, Italy thrashed Turkey 4-1 in the second round of the group stage, successfully regaining their confidence.

Italy coach Roberto Mancini said, "It would be a pleasure to play against Zidane, but it won't be a duel between the two of us. It will be a great match between France and Italy. This game will help us learn a lot and give us a better understanding of the team."

“They are currently far ahead of us, but I think it will be a great challenge. It’s exciting in itself to try to beat players like Dembélé, Olisé or Dué.”

Mancini emphasized, "Unless the entire French team catches a cold at the same time, it's unlikely they'll experience a decline in form, but we're determined to put on a great performance. We won't just step onto the pitch to defend; our goal is always to win."

Furthermore, when discussing the club's and national team's past achievements, Inter Milan's Italian defender Bastoni said, "I don't want people to see me as a victim. That's the last thing I want to see, and it's not my opinion at all. That's the kind of profession we're in. When you perform well, people idolize you, but when something happens, they start attacking you."

“In football, people quickly forget the past, whether it’s good or bad. I can move on and walk my own path, instead of defining myself by one event in nearly 10 years of my career, and I have never thought about retiring from the national team.”

In the final of the European qualifying play-offs for the 2026 World Cup, Italy lost 1-4 to Bosnia and Herzegovina after a penalty shootout, failing to qualify for the World Cup finals for the third consecutive time.

Bastoni continued, "I've always played with a calm mindset, and my approach to the game has never changed. That match against Bosnia and Herzegovina left me with immense sadness and bitterness, but letting go of mistakes and learning from them is part of the process of becoming a top player."

“I tried to do this immediately after the match against Bosnia and Herzegovina. We can’t control the past, but we can seize the present and determine the future through the choices we make now.”

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