Mancini: A draw against Belgium is not enough

Italy head coach Roberto Mancini said that a draw against Belgium would not be enough. Italy can reach the Nations League quarter-finals with one point, but Mancini said the team should not be satisfied with that advantage.

Mancini recalled that the two teams met in this group in September in Rome. Belgium won that match 2-0, with goals from Mika Godts and Romelu Lukaku. The coach also reminded everyone that Belgium were knocked out by Spain in the quarter-finals in July, when Mikel Merino scored in the 88th minute, and he pointed to the strength of the opponent.

Italy beat France 3-1 on Thursday. Mancini said that despite the short rest, he did not plan to make many changes to the squad, and that some players needed a rest. He added that the option of playing Federico Dimarco as a forward on the wing was being considered, and that this decision would depend on how the match develops.

At the meeting, in the presence of Giovanni Malagò, the commissioner of the Italian Football Federation, a question was asked about whether the election process within the federation would affect the team. Mancini said that every issue matters to him, but that his goal is to win the match and get through to the next round.