Mancini demands patience as Italy's new era begins with home defeat to Belgium
A familiar face, an unwelcome result
Roberto Mancini's return to the Italy dugout did not go to plan. On his second debut in charge of the Azzurri, the veteran coach watched his side slip to a 2-0 defeat against Belgium in their Nations League opener at the Stadio Olimpico, with goals in either half from Mika Godts and Dodi Lukebakio sealing the win for Mark van Bommel's visitors.
The loss was a sobering one for Italian football. It was only the second time in the last 40 years that Italy have lost a home match while conceding two goals without reply, the previous occasion being a 2-0 reverse against Croatia back in August 2006.
The story of the match
On the underlying numbers, Italy were not wholly outclassed but were undone by a sharper Belgian side. The Azzurri finished with 1.5 expected goals (xG), though only 0.3 of that came before the break, while Belgium had already accumulated 2.5 of their 2.7 xG by half-time.
Gianluigi Donnarumma made six saves in a bid to inspire a comeback, but at the other end Senne Lammens also produced six stops to preserve Belgium's clean sheet and the three points.
'We need time to build a team'
Mancini conceded that his team fell below expectations in Rome, but with a trip to the Atatürk Olympic Stadium to face Turkiye on Monday next on the agenda, his primary message was one of calm. He also pointed to the congested Nations League schedule as a difficulty his players must navigate.
"I expect the team can put in a good performance against Turkiye, improving the pressing and the aggression," Mancini told reporters. "In these days we haven't had time to prepare anything new, so I'm not expecting any great novelties.
"Above all, we need time to work to get to know each other and to build a team that can be competitive. We don't need anything else."
He added: "I think we have to stay calm and not get agitated in the way that is happening. We played against a strong side in Belgium, who did cause us difficulty, but then the team reacted well.
"Matches are made of episodes, the game could have changed, even if Belgium deserved to win in the end. In terms of personnel, we will definitely change. It is impossible to have one player available for four games this close together. We can also assess other players in matches this important."
Tonali echoes the call for patience
Mancini's appeal for patience was echoed by Sandro Tonali, who was part of the squad that failed to qualify for a third consecutive World Cup earlier this year. It is a new-look Azzurri, with Michael Kayode, Alessandro Romano, Issa Doumbia, Alessandro Vergara and Mohamed Ali Zom all called up for the first time.
"The important thing now is to react, and we can do that within a few days. The group is very healthy, with a lot of young players," Tonali said. "Having everything immediately is difficult, we don't have the star player. Time is there, we have to spend time together, work and enjoy ourselves together.
"We are healthy, strong men. With time our qualities will come out."
What comes next
After the clash with Turkiye, Italy face France next Friday before concluding the international break with a home game against Vincenzo Montella's side. With such a quick turnaround, Mancini confirmed several changes to the side beaten by Belgium.