'We always play looking for victory!' - Roberto Mancini sends clear message to France ahead of Nations League showdown

Mancini has laid down a marker ahead of Italy's high-stakes UEFA Nations League encounter against France, insisting that the Azzurri will never settle for a cautious approach. Italy opened their campaign with a disappointing 2-0 home defeat against Belgium before rebounding in style with an impressive 4-1 away victory over Turkiye, and the manager is now aiming to build momentum in Paris.

Speaking to Sky Sport Italia, the head coach expressed his determination to take the game to the Group A leaders. Mancini stated: 'It will certainly be a great game against a top team, full of extraordinary players, but we always want to make a good impression and will do our best. When you are up against such strong teams, you never play not to win, so naturally we must always play looking for the victory. After that, anything can happen in a game situation.'

Preparing for such a monumental task has not been easy for Mancini, who has had to contend with a depleted squad following the injury-enforced departures of Giacomo Raspadori and Nicolo Zaniolo. Furthermore, the manager opted to leave a group of nine players behind to train at Coverciano, including Samuele Inacio, Alessandro Romano, Honest Ahanor, Nicolo Cambiaghi, Diego Coppola, Daniele Ghilardi, Eddy Kouadio, Rolando Mandragora, and Massimo Pessina.

Despite these setbacks, the manager remains optimistic about the depth of his squad and the potential for those involved to step up on the big stage. The tactical flexibility of the group will be tested, especially after a period of intense travel and matches. Mancini admitted to having some selection headaches as the kick-off approaches. He noted: 'I have a few doubts, we'll evaluate tomorrow morning to see how some have recovered after Bursa.'

One of the biggest talking points surrounding the Italian camp is who will lead the line in Paris. When pressed on his attacking options and specifically asked about starting either Pio Esposito or Moise Kean upfront, Mancini threw in a wild card by suggesting Gianluca Scamacca as a genuine contender for the starting spot.

The manager was clear that fans should expect a more settled line-up this time around. Mancini told reporters: 'Or Scamacca? We'll make fewer changes than we saw in Bursa, that's for sure.' This approach indicates a desire for continuity as Italy seeks to bridge the gap between themselves and the French, who currently lead the group following two consecutive 1-0 victories.

Following their clash with France, Italy will return home to host Turkiye in the final fixture of the current international break. The Azzurri are aiming to secure their place in the quarter-finals, having reached the same stage last season before suffering a dramatic 5-4 aggregate defeat against Germany.