Mancini hails Pio Esposito as Italy beat Turkey and target Nations League quarter-finals

Roberto Mancini says Italy’s 3-1 victory over Turkey in Bologna showed the team’s progress, despite extensive changes and fatigue, with qualification for the Nations League quarter-finals likely to be decided in Belgium.

The Italy manager also praised Inter striker Francesco Pio Esposito, saying the forward could develop into a great player and eventually become the kind of striker who gives his team control, like Christian Vieri and Luca Toni.

“I think he is hungry for goals, competition and playing,” Mancini said. “He is exceptional, and I think that in two years he could become a striker capable of making the team play with calmness, as Christian Vieri and Luca Toni did.”

He added, according to Tuttosport: “Given his physical strength and technical ability, I think he can become a great striker.”

Italy made nine changes for the match and Mancini acknowledged the physical demands placed on his players.

“Despite the changes we made, it was clear that everyone was suffering from fatigue,” he said. “We started badly, but we were clever to score immediately after the equaliser, even though this was our fourth match.”

Mancini said Alessandro Romano could also operate in midfield and needed more matches to continue his development.

“Romano played well in Rome, and he played well tonight too,” he said.

On Gianluca Scamacca, Mancini added: “I think he can offer much more considering the ability he has. I took him off, like Ruggeri, because they had both been booked and the referee seemed inclined to show a second yellow card at any moment.”

Mancini praises Turkey and Montella

Looking ahead to the November fixtures, Mancini said Italy would probably settle the qualification race in Belgium.

“We have to continue in this way and see how the November matches go,” he said. “We will probably decide qualification in Belgium.”

He rejected the idea that Turkey were a weak side despite their defeat.

“Turkey are not as weak as the result might suggest,” Mancini said. “We changed nine players, so we lost some fluency, but we could not do anything else because we had put in a great deal of effort. It was a very positive match.”

“We are happy with the team’s collective improvement, regardless of the results. The fact that we are still competing for qualification is already a fine objective.”

Mancini also praised Vincenzo Montella, Turkey’s manager, for guiding the team back to the World Cup and to League A of the Nations League.

“I think Montella has done a great job because he took Turkey back to the World Cup and the top group of the Nations League,” Mancini said. “My situation was different from his because I coached Galatasaray, not the national team.”

Turkey, he added, had been weakened by the absence of important players. Italy had played particularly well in the first meeting, moving 3-0 ahead, but the latest match had been much more even.

On Riccardo Calafiori, Mancini said: “Technically and physically, he has not yet reached his mental and intellectual level. He is already a leader, definitely.”

He said Vergara needed matches to improve, while Doumbia was further advanced because he was already playing in the Champions League.

At the end of the news conference, Mancini was asked which member of his first Italy spell he missed most. His answer, “I miss Luca Vialli,” prompted applause from the journalists.

Vialli played a prominent role alongside Mancini during the manager’s first spell with Italy and helped the team win Euro 2020.