Belgium manager Roberto Martinez explains why he finds Roberto Mancini’s Italy ‘very, very impressive’ ahead of the Nations League. ‘They play more like a club team than a national team.’
The Azzurri are on a world record 37-match unbeaten run going into tonight’s semi-final against Spain, while Belgium face France in the other semi-final tomorrow evening in Turin.
“I have a very good image of Roberto Mancini, he has created a team with real clarity and a way of playing that is more expected from a club team than a national team,” Martinez told Goal.com.
“They have had a completely different journey and I think it has been very clever the way he took the opportunity to pick a team that didn’t qualify for the 2018 World Cup and keep all the same aspects and basics of Italian football that we all expect.”
Italy went from not even qualifying for the 2018 World Cup under Giampiero Ventura to winning UEFA EURO 2020, beating Belgium in the quarter-final.
“They were very, very impressive in the Euros. For a team that didn’t qualify for the previous tournament, it is very impressive. We found that when we played them in that first half, one of the impressions we got was that this team had the momentum that a lot of other teams didn’t have at the top.”
Martinez has been linked with the Barcelona job, although it would not be until after the Nations League is completed.
He was asked if he would potentially be a coach in Serie A?
“I always say that in football I believe in the relationship and the football project. It doesn’t matter where it might be in the world. It’s about having the time and means to have a long-term project and build something.
“That’s what I really enjoy, building something. That’s the importance of the person that believes in you rather than the nature of the league that you are working in.”
“Impressionato dall’Italia di Mancini a Euro 2020” 🇮🇹
Roberto Martinez parla in esclusiva con Goal 🎙[✍ @NizaarKinsella]https://t.co/tt2ygRx4o9
— Goal Italia (@GoalItalia) October 6, 2021