According to Corriere dello Sport, Mancini plans to deploy Kean as a winger in Italy's match against Belgium, as the Azzurri cannot afford to slip up.

The biggest surprise ahead of the match is Kean playing as a winger. He will not be deployed as a central striker, unlike how Palladino, Pioli, and Vigorito used him at Fiorentina, or how Spalletti and Gattuso used him for the national team, and certainly not like how Fabregas is using him at Como now. Playing Kean on the wing is designed to support Pio Esposito, Italy's central striker both now and in the future.

This setup is somewhat unexpected, but not entirely without precedent. As Italy's central striker, though not always, Kean has scored 13 goals in 26 appearances, including many crucial ones. However, he has also played on the wing before. In March 2019, Moise scored his international debut in a 2-0 victory over Finland in Udine. He started that match as a left winger, with Immobile as the central striker and Bernardeschi on the right wing.

At halftime, coach Mancini swapped the positions of the two wingers, and Kean moved to the right wing, where he scored. A few months later, Moise joined Everton, managed by Carlo Ancelotti. At that time, the position of the former Juventus player was still not entirely clear, and Mancini called Ancelotti to ask about it. Mancini said: "Kean can play in the center or on the wing; he has the pace needed for that position."

Therefore, Kean will return to playing as a winger tonight. Mancini needs his impact, and hopefully his goals too. Another potential choice, Maldini, is also worth noting. His season has started as expected in his early years, and he has become an important player for the team. To break down Belgium's defense, Italy may need Maldini's skill and Kean's physical power.

Italy will start from scratch for the third consecutive time, aiming to reclaim victory in the Nations League and, more importantly, restore credibility. A loss to Belgium would bring serious problems, and Italy cannot afford such a result. A loss to France might be acceptable, but not to Belgium, and not to Turkey. The pressure is immense, though, as Malagò said, it is "positive" pressure.

The national team is under scrutiny from all sides: some want Conte to replace Mancini, while others want a commissioner to replace the FIGC president. One more mistake, and Italy will be back in trouble. Can we trust this national team? We must, because there is no other choice.

Mancini has assembled a mix of talented players from different generations. Alongside experienced midfielders Barella and Tonali, he will field Alessandro Romano, born in 2003. Romano chose Italy over Switzerland. The 23-year-old Romano currently controls Cagliari's midfield and has made no significant mistakes in the opening round of this season.

When Romano was in Roma's youth academy, his coach at the time, Claudio Ranieri, who is now FIGC's technical director and president of an Italian club, often invited him to first-team training sessions. Ranieri said: "Often, older players will criticize young players for their first bad pass, but Romano never does, because he never makes a bad pass."

Mancini will place Romano at the heart of play, and when Mancini trusts a player, he rarely makes a mistake in his judgment. Given Italy's 4-3-3 formation, both wingers must perform at their best. On one side of defense is Di Lorenzo's experience, on the other is Calafiori's drive, and in attack, there is Cambiassi's penetration and Kean's explosive power.

Most importantly, Pio Esposito must be in peak condition. He has scored 5 goals in 9 matches and is a strong striker in the box. Can we trust this national team? The answer is yes.

Diterjemahkan oleh AI.

Situs web AF kini hadir! Lihat berita lengkap, komentar, detail pertandingan, dan statistik di komputer Anda. Kunjungi: www.allfootballapp.com