Daily Mirror (Northern Ireland)
BOSS ROBERTO STILL THE MAN
New winning run started as Mancini looks to Swiss clash
ROBERTO MANCINI is already focused on one of Italy’s biggest games of the year after the European champions beat Belgium to claim third in the UEFA Nations League.
The Azzurri’s world record 37match unbeaten run ended with a semi-final defeat by Spain but Nicolo Barella and Domenico Berardi sealed a victory in yesterday’s third-place play-off.
But Italy boss Mancini was quick to look ahead to his side’s next challenge.
A World Cup qualifier against
Switzerland in Rome next month is likely to decide who finishes top of Group C and earns an automatic qualifying spot. Switzerland will move level on 14 points with Mancini’s side with two games remaining if they beat bottom team Lithuania tomorrow night.
And Mancini (right) said: “It will be a difficult match just like it was at the Euros and in Basel.
“We are playing at home – it will be the game of the year after the Euros matches. We know that we have to win.
“It’s good to go into that game with a win. We’ve played two great games this week.
“We changed the players a bit here but the team played just as well.”
Mancini, who made history by reaching his 30th win as Italy manager in only 44 matches, watched his side run out deserved winners.
Barella volleyed a poor clearance home just 60 seconds into the second half and Berardi converted a 65thminute penalty after Leicester’s Timothy Castagne hauled down Federico Chiesa. Ex-tottenham defender Toby Alderweireld proved an unlikely attacking threat with two efforts that brought out fine stops from Italy’s goalkeeper
Gianluigi Donnarumma.
Yannick Carrasco followed Michy Batshuayi in hitting the Italian post before Belgium pulled one back through Charles de
Ketelaere late on.
Roberto Martinez’s side pressed hard for a leveller but Belgium, who were without Eden
Hazard and Romelu
Lukaku and only brought on Kevin De
Bruyne in the second half, could have no complaints. They were
outplayed for large portions of the match by their hosts during the bronze-medal match in Turin. “We had a lot of younger players and they did decently,” said Manchester City star De Bruyne.
“It was good for them to play against a team of Italy’s quality.” Belgium return to action next month with their final World Cup qualifiers, with Martinez focusing only on the finals after shrugging off links with the Barcelona job amid doubts over boss Ronald Koeman’s future at the Nou Camp.
He said: “It’s not easy for me to talk about it.
“I’ve been working for five years with Belgium and I’m 100 per cent focused on this.
“We’re going to prepare for the World Cup qualifying matches now in November. There’s nothing else to say.”