Ahead of Italy's away match against France in the third round of Group A of the UEFA Nations League, Inter defender A. Bastoni gave an interview to Sky Sport Italia.

A new chapter at a great stadium, against an opponent that—judging by their squad—is possibly one of the strongest in the world right now. A team buoyed by two consecutive wins and high spirits thanks to Zidane's return. Is this an impossible task or a manageable challenge? Zidane just said in his press conference that we can compete with any team in a single match. What do you think about that?

I think... I agree with that statement, but I don't think it should be taken for granted or treated as something ordinary. What I mean is, we want to give real meaning to the path of development we're on. When the Italian national team takes the field, people should recognize it immediately. We need to have a clear identity on the pitch. That's why our current standard must match the kind of performance everyone saw in the last match.

What additional advantages and improvements has Roberto Mancini brought to your team? You were in the squad in 2021, but you weren't a key player then; you were still very young. You're still here now. How do you see this journey? I mean, is this a medium-term or long-term plan? In your opinion, based on what Mancini is trying to teach you, is it possible to see results quickly?

No, obviously everyone hopes to achieve results as quickly as possible, but I think we're at the very beginning of this journey right now, aren't we? So, as I said after the Turkey match, we need to be extremely patient, and there will definitely be very difficult moments ahead.

However, he (Mancini) is currently doing a lot to build our confidence, isn't he? In Italy, we've always been very good at feeling sorry for ourselves and overemphasizing the negative. In my opinion, it's the opposite—when we do certain things well, sometimes we need to acknowledge it, because the more you tell yourself about it, the more you'll actually start to believe it. That's where we need to work on improvement and push ourselves forward.

Speaking of the positive aspects, is there something that particularly impressed you during this training camp? For instance, among all the young players you've seen—some we haven't seen on the pitch yet—we hope and expect to see them in the coming years, right?

Yes, I saw great ambition, a proactive approach, and clear qualities. And this light-hearted mentality—that might be exactly what we need to return to our former heights.

One last thing I want to ask you: we didn't interview you after the Turkey match, and we haven't seen you with the national team for six months. How has that period been for you? And as you said, a goal or a great performance doesn't erase the pain of that night in Zenica. How have these last months been? I mean with football, on the pitch, and with the Italian national team?

At club level, things could have been worse. I mean, we ended up winning two cup trophies, so I think it was a positive season. As I said after the Turkey match, I'm certainly not saying this to play the victim, but I genuinely feel it in my heart, and I always will feel guilt. Because for me, it was an extremely difficult night, and it was the same for all Italian fans who support the national team. And just as I do after every mistake, I hold my head high, take responsibility, and with greater determination than ever, I want to prove my worth and fully dedicate myself to the entire team.

If you could remove one player from the opposing team's squad tomorrow…

No, that's too difficult a choice. I won't waste time on hypothetical scenarios like that.

Переведено ИИ.

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