Roberto Mancini wants Italy to play with ‘joy’ in the World Cup play-off against North Macedonia, but ‘the biggest danger would be thinking this will be easy.’
It kicks off at the Stadio Barbera in Palermo at 19.45 GMT.
The winners of that match will then go on to face either Portugal or Turkey for a place at the 2022 World Cup in Qatar.
Palermo was chosen as the venue for this play-off in part because Sicilian fans would guarantee more passion and support for the Italy side, without club rivalries getting in the way.
It is also a lovely climate for the Azzurri, overlooking the sea and sunshine, but appeals for Serie A to postpone one round to give them more time to prepare for this clash were ignored. Is the world of Calcio ungrateful so soon after the European Championship triumph?
“Waking up with that view in the morning isn’t bad, but we need to keep focused too,” Mancini told RAI Sport.
“Perhaps the Nazionale meant more in the past, but for decades now it hasn’t been treated the same way. In any case, we want to think positive and are confident because we have talented players.”
Leonardo Bonucci is out and Giorgio Chiellini probably only fit enough for the bench, so Gianluca Mancini and Alessandro Bastoni are expected to start in defence.
“In terms of experience and quality, Chiellini is an important player to have in the squad. I want to see joy, good football and also patience. The biggest danger would be thinking this will be easy.”
The CT is supported as always by his former Sampdoria teammate and great friend Gianluca Vialli, who was already part of the Azzurri staff at UEFA EURO 2020.
“We’ve known each other for a lifetime, since we were kids, so hopefully we can continue together for another 50 years.”
Did Mancini’s mother give him any advice before the big match?
“She said don’t worry, everything will be fine. But then, she always says that!”
#Playoff #Mondiali #Qatar2022 , questa sera #ItaliaMacedoniadelNord ore 20:30 @RaiUno – Pre partita dalle 19:40 su RaiSport+HD#Mancini: “Voglio allegria, gioco e pazienza”
Guarda il video 👇https://t.co/qfRLAlkgvd
— RaiSport (@RaiSport) March 24, 2022
Brace for immobile. Fonza italia
Mancini made a comment similar to this before the euros
and where victorious
But all changed when we returned to play our final 5 games against very average teams our euro winner’s where not mentally prepared for those matches
But the biggest mistake was Mancini stubbornness in sticking with the same players and not having the guts to freshen our euro winners
If we don’t qualify for the WC it will be all down to him and not his players who where all on cloud 9 for being Euro Champions
I predict win today, but a tough match against the winner of Portugal or Turkey.