On the eve of the second matchday of the UEFA Nations League group stage, with Turkey hosting Italy, Vincenzo Montella, Turkey's head coach, who will face his homeland, gave an interview to Sky Sport Italia.

Perhaps Italy is the team you least wanted to face, given the timing and special circumstances we're all in right now. What kind of match will this be?

But this will lead to...

Is it a decisive match from a results perspective?

I don't know if it's decisive, but from every angle—whether it's style of play or tactical level—it will certainly be a very important match. For me personally, it will undoubtedly be an emotional match with mixed feelings. I will never stop loving Italy, but I will give everything for Turkey because they welcomed me, accepted me, and supported me, making me feel part of them. So when the whistle starts the match, I'll give my all and show the best I can for the country I'm coaching.

On that note, some people outside have said that with the enormous pressure you're facing right now, even though we all bear this pressure, did Montella become "Turkish" too quickly, or did he adapt too quickly in terms of mindset and practical application? Do you feel this way yourself?

No, I don't think so. I adapted well and quickly to the way people here think and their mentality because this mentality is very similar to southern Italy, where I lived as a child. So I fit in easily here.

What kind of Turkey will we see? Because you have quite a few injured and missing players right now. I wonder if you can tell us what kind of team Turkey is at the moment, especially considering recent results. Is the team's attacking play almost entirely dependent on Arda Güler?

To be honest, I've never liked revealing the starting lineup before a match, and I like it even less now. No, no, we will definitely make changes. After all, playing four matches at this level in 11 days makes player rotation unavoidable. We have very important players missing and injured, and even after just two matches, the impact of these absences is clear. But this is also an opportunity to observe and evaluate the performance of other players on the pitch. Personally, I believe strongly in gradual progress, in gradually promoting and integrating certain players and young talents, and we are working on that. As for further details, I cannot reveal them.

What makes Arda Güler so special?

As a player, he can see and execute tactical movements and passing lanes on the pitch that other players cannot see or even imagine. He is continuously adapting and growing rapidly, both in possession and in defensive positioning without the ball. In short, he is a player with unlimited potential for growth, with ambition, drive, and outstanding talent.

That reminds me of the talent and ability of Sampdoria's strike partner from the 1996/97 season—Gianluca Mancini and Montella...

Yes, they are admirable players. If I played with Güler, I would have a lot of fun, just like I did playing with Roberto (Mancini) back then. Both of them are forwards eager to deliver great passes and help you score. For me, that's a perfect strike partnership.

Indeed. And as a former striker, what goes through your mind facing a goalkeeper like Donnarumma now? You would certainly have studied him before the first match, but he is undoubtedly our number one star...

Of course. As I said in a pre-match interview, if I could remove one player from the Italian national team, I would most want to remove Donnarumma. He is an exceptionally special player. In short, his defensive positioning and shot-blocking are incredible.

Final question: Mancini once praised you for having an unmatched instinct for scoring. Would you like to respond to that?

I also had a deep and sharp instinct for his excellent passes. (Laughs)

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