Roberto Mancini believes “France would not be happy to face” Italy in Euro 2020 and called Bosnia’s Edin Dzeko “one of the best strikers in the world.”
It kicks off in Zenica at 19.45 GMT, click here for the line-ups and LIVEBLOG.
The Azzurri have already qualified for Euro 2020 as group winners, but there is still plenty of motivation.
Roberto Mancini believes “France would not be happy to face” Italy in Euro 2020 and called Bosnia’s Edin Dzeko “one of the best strikers in the world.”
It kicks off in Zenica at 19.45 GMT, click here for the line-ups and LIVEBLOG.
The Azzurri have already qualified for Euro 2020 as group winners, but there is still plenty of motivation.
“It will certainly be tough and open, but it is above all important for us to get a good seeding status in the draw,” Mancini told Rai Sport.
“Once you reach the final tournament, every team is strong and well-organised, so it’s difficult to say who we’d prefer to avoid.
“Even France, if we were to get the draw, would not be happy to face us. Italy always become very dangerous in major tournament situations, even if France are at a more advanced stage than us in their progress right now.
“It’s going to be 23 players in the end and we’ve got the majority of the group decided, unless there are serious injuries.
“Of course, things could change over the next six months, if people who deserve it emerge, such as Paolo Rossi in 1982 or Toto Schillaci in 1990, but we can’t predict that.”
Finland have now taken second place in this group, but Bosnia and Herzegovina had been tipped to challenge Italy for the top spot.
They had taken the lead with Roma striker Dzeko in Turin, but eventually capitulated 2-1.
“Bosnia made life difficult for us, but they were perhaps the only team really in this group that didn’t sit back and defend deep. Our pressing in the first half was not good, which allowed them to use their quality and Miralem Pjanic took control of the midfield. It could’ve ended in a draw, but we did far better after the break.
“Dzeko is one of the best strikers in the world. Despite the size of him, he moves very quickly, is strong in the air, good with his right foot and his left. We signed him from Wolfsburg and he scored tons of goals for Manchester City.
“He was one of the best centre-forwards then and he still is now.”