'We don't have a star player!' - Sandro Tonali urges patience after Italy defeat and dismisses Tottenham comparison

The mood surrounding the Italian national team took a significant hit following a lackluster performance at the Stadio Olimpico. Fans in Rome made their frustrations clear, greeting the final whistle with a chorus of boos after the Azzurri fell to defeat against Belgium on Friday. Speaking ahead of Monday's clash with Turkiye - who also suffered a setback of their own after losing 1-0 at home to France in the previous round - Tonali did not shy away from the reality of the situation, acknowledging the somber atmosphere that has engulfed the camp in recent days.

'I think a lot of people were left disappointed. We have to be honest and talk about what this defeat brought, from the whistles of the fans to the sad faces in the dressing room,' Tonali told Sky Sport Italia. The midfielder accepted that the criticism was entirely justified given the level of performance displayed on the pitch. 'But you have to accept it, because the game was not a positive one and we deserved to lose,' he added, stressing the importance of accountability within the squad.

The current iteration of the Azzurri is undergoing a radical transformation under Mancini, who has returned for a second spell in charge as he seeks to restore Italian football's pride following the heartbreak of missing out on the last three World Cup tournaments. That painful streak included the 2022 edition in Qatar, where Mancini was also at the helm during qualifiers. Despite that disappointment, the manager boasts an impressive legacy with the national team, having famously guided Italy to European glory at Euro 2020.

'The important thing now is to react, and we can do that within a few days. The group is very healthy, with a lot of young players. Having everything immediately is difficult, we don't have the star player,' Tonali explained. The former AC Milan man is adamant that the qualities of this young roster will eventually shine through once they have established a stronger rapport. 'Time is there, we have to spend time together, work and enjoy ourselves together. We are healthy, strong men. With time our qualities will come out.'

It has been a testing start to the 2026-27 campaign for Tonali on both domestic and international fronts. Tottenham currently sit bottom of the Premier League table with just two points from their opening five matches, following the midfielder's high-profile £100 million summer move from Newcastle United.

Despite the poor run of form in London, the 26-year-old remains optimistic about the direction the Premier League side is taking. He was quick to point out that the underlying performances at club level offer more reason for hope than the current results suggest. 'Football is very strange. In ten days everything can change from negative to positive. On Tottenham: the moment is negative for results but positive for the football we are playing,' he noted when discussing his club situation.

Things will not get any easier for Tottenham when club football resumes after the ongoing international break. Spurs face a daunting schedule, traveling to Old Trafford to take on Manchester United on October 10, before hosting Coventry City on October 19 and rounding off a tough period with a trip to Stamford Bridge to face Chelsea on October 24.

'We play well, we create, and if you don't score in football you lose, but we are not buried. We are alive, positive,' Tonali said of his life at Spurs. 'Here with the national team it is different: it is a very new and young group, a group that has never played together. We just have to take our time.'