Mancini: ‘Italy don’t have a generation like that of Totti and Del Piero’

Mancini: ‘Italy don’t have a generation like that of Totti and Del Piero’ Roberto Mancini has been candid about where Italian football currently stands, conceding the talent pool no longer compares to the generation that carried the Azzurri two decades ago. With quotes via Gianluca Di Marzio , the coach was speaking at his pre-match press conference before Monday’s trip to face Vincenzo Montella’s Turkiye in Bursa. “Every team goes through different cycles, and at this moment Italy find themselves in a phase of renewal,” Mancini said. “We don’t have a generation like that of Totti, Del Piero and other great champions of the past.” Roberto Mancini speaks to the media at a press conference at Coverciano ahead of the 2026 September-October international break, which will see Italy take on Belgium, Turkiye, France and Turkiye again in the Nations League. (Picture: Lorenzo Bettoni). Italy coach Mancini: ‘We need time, nothing else’ His central request was patience, which is a difficult thing to ask for three days after a home defeat that drew boos at the Olimpico. “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.” JEDDAH, SAUDI ARABIA – OCTOBER 15: Roberto Mancini coach of Saudi Arabia reacts during the FIFA World Cup Asian 3rd Qualifier Group C match between Saudi Arabia and Bahrain at King Abdullah Sports City on October 15, 2024 in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. (Photo by Yasser Bakhsh/Getty Images) He was also realistic about what can change before kick-off, with barely 48 hours between matches. “I expect the team can put in a good performance against Turkiye, improving the pressing and the aggression. In these days we haven’t had time to prepare anything new, so I’m not expecting any great novelties.” Moise Kean’s involvement remains uncertain. “I don’t know if he’ll play, I’ll decide tomorrow morning. Only 48 hours have passed since the last game and we still have to train today. He hasn’t played much so far this season, so we’ll see how he is.” Mancini also spoke to Sky Sport earlier in the afternoon, you can read his quotes here.