With qualification for the EURO 2020 finals in the bag, the Azzurri are in action at 20:45 CEST tomorrow in Liechtenstein with the aim of picking up an eighth win in the group and a ninth consecutive one considering the friendly win over the United States of America. That would see Roberto Mancini match Vittorio Pozzo’s record as the only Italy Head Coach to have won nine in a row. “Pozzo is a legend, the only thing separating me from him is one win and two World Cups,” joked Mancini at the pre-match press conference. "The aim is to do well and top the group and go to the finals as a seeded side.” The Coach then looked at the objectives for the upcoming weeks. “I would like to please those who’ve played less but they’re always ready to play and happy to be called up. I would like to use some young players with a view to after the Euros but I would like to a be a top seed at the Euros. That’s the main goal so we have to do well in the upcoming matches.”

Ranked at 182nd by FIFA, Liechtenstein are bottom of Group J on two points with two goals scored and 20 conceded. On 26 March, Italy won 6-0 in Parma and the Azzurri have always beaten the side from the principality with a goal difference off 15 to 0 in the past three meetings. “Things are taken for granted but big sides go out in the cups to teams from Serie C,’ warned Mancini. Now without Chiesa and D’Ambrosio, Mancini announced that there will be changes compared to Saturday’s match against Greece. “Who’ll play? Sirigu, Belotti, Zaniolo, Izzo or Di Lorenzo and Romagnoli depending on how he is. One of Grifo or El Shaarawy plus Biraghi. I don’t want to change everyone though because that can cause problems.

"We went behind in a tough match against Bosnia and Herzegovina because they put in an extraordinary performance and ran risks there but won in the end. We also went behind in Armenia but turned the result around.” Mancini is also looking ahead to the friendlies in March. “I would like to play teams at our level but you have to be careful and approach every game in the right way. Norway against Spain seemed like a foregone conclusion but then it finished 1-1. We’ll certainly come up against difficulties at the Euros but I feel it could be an advantage for us to come up against sides that go for it. Apart from France who are a very young side with huge talents, I don’t see a side with Messi. If we improve as a team, we can play against anyone.”

By Mancini’s side at the press conference was Leonardo Bonucci who will become the player with the tenth-most caps (92), moving ahead of Alex Del Piero and within two of Giacinto Facchetti. “Our development process has to continue from this game tomorrow.” Did you ask to play so you can reach 100 caps? “No, but I’m always ready. You’ve seen it over these years with Juventus, AC Milan and Italy and I’ve always looked to be ready for any game.”

Bonucci is pleased with Mancini’s integration of youth: “We’re happy that the side can be reinvigorated and we’ll need players in the coming years who are ready to replace those of us who will drop out of the National Team one at a time. But we’re in quite a good position now.” The captain also covered the group’s unity. “Every time that we meet up, it’s like we’ve been together every day. We give everything on the pitch and Mancini gets us to turn our heads for a couple of hours when we can.” Bonucci is convinced that the leading sides aren’t out of reach. “When we go out to play, we feel that we’re equals and we showed that against Portugal at home. I believe that the gap is getting smaller, we’ll be ready for a great Euros.”

National Team schedule (all times in CEST)

Tuesday 15 October
20:45 – Liechtenstein vs. Italy at the Rheinpark Stadion – Vaduz. Following the match, a meeting with the press and subsequent journey back to the hotel

Wednesday 16 October
10:00 – Chartered flight from St.Gallen to Milan Malpensa (11:10) and then journey to Rome (13:00)