Tag Archives: UEFA Nations League

Bastoni: “If Italy plays like this against France, it can do it against anyone”

Italian football news

Alessandro Bastoni admits he “did not expect to score two goals” in two Nations League matches, but stresses that “if Italy can play like this against France in Paris, it can do so against anyone.”

The Inter defender had not played for the national team since that disastrous red card in the World Cup playoff against Bosnia and Herzegovina, which saw the Azzurri miss qualification for the third consecutive edition of the tournament.

His return has been remarkable: first the goal in the 4-1 away win against Turkey, then the one he scored tonight to make it 1-1 against France in Paris.

“It was a difficult match, we knew it would be, that’s certainly nothing new, but I am truly happy with the team’s performance,” Bastoni told RAI Sport.

“We fought hard, we suffered and we also ruined some of France’s plans for tonight, since they were ready for a big celebration. We knew we hadn’t come here for a stroll, and that’s exactly how it was.”

Bastoni was certainly not the player Italy expected goals from, yet he is currently the Azzurri’s top scorer in Roberto Mancini’s second spell in charge.

“It is definitely satisfying to score again, but at the moment I did, I thought we had to make sure we didn’t concede another goal, otherwise we would have lost everything. This is a good result that increases our confidence for the future,” Bastoni explained.

In recent months it was not only the red card that affected him, but also an off-field scandal that had led some to call for his departure from Serie A.

“I didn’t expect to score two goals, but I never lost confidence in myself. I will not let one or two situations ruin a career of over 300 matches. I thank my family for being by my side and I hope that having kept my head high is seen as something positive,” added the defender.

France has not kept a clean sheet against Italy since the 0-0 in September 2007, having conceded 10 goals in the last seven meetings.

After Dayot Upamecano’s sending off in the final minutes, Italy pushed in search of a possible winning goal.

“We believed in our chances of winning from the start and, in fact, we had the best opportunities in the first half to break the deadlock. It is an important sign, because if we can put in a performance like that against France in Paris, then we can do it against anyone,” Bastoni concluded.

“Now there is another match in this series and we take nothing for granted, it will be another important test.”

France 1-1 Italy: Bastoni secures Nations League draw

Italian football news

Italy earned a 1-1 draw on the road against France in the Nations League, as Alessandro Bastoni wiped out Michael Olise’s opener in Paris. France ended the game with ten men following Dayot Upamecano’s dismissal.

The Azzurri made two alterations from the lineup that defeated Türkiye 4-1, with Riccardo Calafiori coming back in at left-back and Moise Kean taking the place of the injured Giacomo Raspadori. Michael Kayode also retained his spot after a standout debut that featured a goal, while Nicolò Barella surprisingly started on the bench.

France 1-1 Italy in an entertaining first half

Italy carved out the first big chance after eight minutes when Kayode delivered a low cross from the right. Kean had an opportunity to score from close range at the back post, but his mishit attempt allowed Mike Maignan to save.

France went close when a Désiré Doué cross deflected off Sandro Tonali and hit the top of the crossbar. At the other end, Sebastiano Esposito failed to connect cleanly with a promising volley.

Ousmane Dembélé tested Gianluigi Donnarumma, though he was ultimately flagged offside. Italy then created two notable chances in the 42nd minute. Pio Esposito headed down a long Kayode throw-in for Davide Frattesi, whose shot was deflected just wide. From the ensuing corner, Kean found the net but was ruled offside.

Nations League pressure after the break

France maintained their attacking pressure after the interval, but Donnarumma produced a superb double save. He first denied a curling attempt from Doué before reacting swiftly to stop Dembélé from close range. The Italy goalkeeper then saved another Olise effort moments later.

France finally broke the deadlock when a Rayan Cherki free-kick from just outside the box was flicked on for Olise. His powerful strike deflected off the wall before bouncing into the net off the underside of the crossbar.

Italy responded by bringing on Napoli winger Antonio Vergara for his debut and shifting Kean into a centre-forward role. The change quickly paid off as a Vergara counterattack was blocked, while Da Cunha was dispossessed by Bastoni, who had surged forward from defence. The defender then fired into the net from the edge of the area.

Bastoni’s equaliser was the first goal conceded by Zidane’s France and meant the French side had still not kept a clean sheet against Italy since their 0-0 draw in September 2007.

Bastoni and Donnarumma preserve Italy’s draw

Donnarumma remained central to Italy’s resistance, getting down to make a decisive fingertip save from Adrien Rabiot and push the angled effort around the far post. France also appealed for a penalty after an accidental coming together between Doué and Barella, but the claims were rejected.

Italy came close to completing the comeback when Vergara floated a cross towards the back post for Kean. His looping header was tipped onto the top of the crossbar by Maignan, while Donnarumma later made another impressive save to palm away an Eduard Camavinga strike.

France were reduced to 10 men when Upamecano received a second yellow card. The defender was first booked for arguing with Kean before receiving another yellow for wrestling the striker to the ground.

Barella then failed to make clean contact with a deflected Vergara pull-back from 10 yards, sending the ball over the crossbar. In stoppage time, Donnarumma denied another Camavinga effort before Bastoni made a crucial sliding challenge on Olise, with France’s penalty appeals again rejected.

Italy dominates Türkiye 4-1 in Nations League showdown

Italian football news, ,

Italy put on a much stronger performance against Türkiye, securing a 4-1 win with goals from Alessandro Bastoni, Davide Frattesi, Michael Kayode, and Francesco Pio Esposito.

The Azzurri found themselves at the bottom of Nations League Group A after dropping their first match, but they came back with a commanding first-half display. Vincenzo Montella’s Türkiye also lost their opening fixture, and they were forced into multiple lineup changes due to injuries and suspensions.

Italy made eight changes from the side that lost 2-0 to Belgium, handing debuts to Michael Kayode, Matteo Ruggeri, and Sebastiano Esposito. Sebastiano and Francesco Pio Esposito became the first brothers to start together for Italy since 1915, while Nicolò Fagioli appeared for the first time since October 2024, and Bastoni returned from suspension.

Italy seize control with three first-half goals

Pio Esposito nearly broke the deadlock when he latched onto a Frattesi pass, only for his angled shot to be tipped wide. From the ensuing corner, Zeki Celik’s poor clearance fell to Bastoni, who smashed the ball into the roof of the net from 12 yards.

That goal marked Bastoni’s first appearance since his costly red card in the World Cup play-off against Bosnia and Herzegovina.

Italy then doubled their lead with a fluid passing move. Frattesi, Pio Esposito, and Giacomo Raspadori exchanged a series of one-touch passes before Kayode’s angled effort was parried into Frattesi’s path at the back post.

Türkiye found it hard to hit back, with Can Uzun wasting a Baris Alper Yilmaz layoff. Italy responded with another quick passing sequence, as Pio Esposito sent Kayode down the right, and the debutant finished at the near post.

The Azzurri had scored three goals within the first half-hour of a competitive match for the first time since their World Cup qualifier against Lithuania in September 2021.

Türkiye pulls one back after the break

Italy kept creating chances before half-time. Raspadori swept an effort over after Sebastiano Esposito’s back heel, while another passing move ended with Kayode crossing for Raspadori, whose volley missed the target.

Türkiye made three changes at the interval and quickly reduced the deficit. Just 90 seconds into the second half, a cross-field pass caught Ruggeri and Gianluigi Donnarumma off guard, allowing Oguz Aydin to get down the right and pull the ball back for Baris Alper Yilmaz to finish into an empty net.

Italy’s response was immediate. Substitute Nicolò Cambiaghi intercepted a loose pass and pulled the ball back from the left, with Sandro Tonali curling an effort against the far post. Pio Esposito was on hand to head in the rebound and restore Italy’s three-goal lead.

That goal made Pio Esposito only the second player to score more than five goals for Italy before turning 21, after Giuseppe Meazza.

Italy withstands late Türkiye pressure

Türkiye continued to threaten, with Giorgio Scalvini beaten by a long ball over the top. Donnarumma did not make contact with Baris Alper Yilmaz, but the forward was booked for simulation.

There was another scare when Yilmaz’s angled effort went in off the inside of the far post following a clever pass from Arda Guler. However, Oguz Aydin was offside and interfering with Donnarumma’s attempted save, so the goal was disallowed.

Italy also had chances to extend their lead. Altay Bayindir made a difficult save from Cambiaghi’s angled strike before smothering the loose ball ahead of Kayode, who was ready to tap in.

Arda Guler then curled an effort wide of the far top corner, while Kerem Akturkoglu missed a major chance from six yards after Guler had dribbled past three players inside the penalty area.

Italy ultimately held on for a convincing 4-1 victory, completing a much-needed response after their opening Nations League defeat.

Mancini reacts to Italy’s 2-0 defeat by Belgium

Italian football news, ,

Roberto Mancini admitted Italy’s first-half display was “below expectations” after the Azzurri suffered a 2-0 home defeat to Belgium in the Nations League.

The returning EURO 2020 hero had hoped for a stronger beginning to his second spell in charge, but Italy now faces an uphill battle in the competition. Belgium was the better side before the break, while Italy improved significantly after half-time without finding an equaliser.

Mancini admits Italy fell short

Mancini acknowledged that Belgium had the upper hand during the opening 45 minutes but felt Italy responded well after the interval and created enough opportunities to get back into the match.

“Belgium played better in the first half; we took the initiative in the second and could’ve equalised, but we conceded on a counterattack with our error. This is football,” Mancini told RAI Sport.

“The first half was below expectations, as Belgium played better, but not the second half. The team did really well until that second goal; we had four or five chances to equalise, we pinned them back, but Belgium are a strong side.”

Italy suffers a 2-0 defeat to Belgium

Although Italy showed signs of improvement after the break, Belgium ultimately secured the victory. Dodi Lukebakio scored on the counter-attack after Mika Godts had opened the scoring, leaving Mancini’s side without a goal despite their second-half pressure.

The defeat leaves Italy at the bottom of Nations League Group A on goal difference after France recorded a 1-0 away victory over Turkiye.

Mancini’s return to the Azzurri dugout therefore began with a disappointing result, with Italy already facing a difficult challenge in the group.

Mancini responds to Italy’s jeers

The reaction from the supporters was also a difficult part of the evening, with Italy jeering both at half-time and again at the final whistle.

Mancini accepted that such a response can come with defeat, particularly given the disappointment surrounding the national team in recent years.

“When we lose, nobody is happy. When you lose, you can get jeered,” he said.

Italy handouts international debuts

There were also opportunities for new faces during the match. Alessandro Romano made his Italy debut in the starting XI after switching his allegiance from Switzerland.

Momo Zoma and Issa Doumbia were also handed their first senior appearances late in the game, adding further new international faces to Mancini’s squad.