Having secured qualification for EURO 2020 with three games to spare, Italy return to action for their final two games in the European Qualifiers: tomorrow in Zenica (Bilino Poje Stadium, 20:45 CET) away to Bosnia and Herzegovina, and next Monday in Palermo (Renzo Barbera Stadium, 20:45 CET) against Armenia. The Azzurri will be looking to extend their record run of consecutive wins in qualification (eight) in these last two games, with the double objective of a preferred seed spot in the draw for the European finals as well as the chance to climb up the FIFA Ranking ahead of the qualification draw for the 2022 World Cup.

Coach Roberto Mancini confirmed these sentiments in his press conference ahead of the game: “Bosnia always win here, it’s a stadium where they play well, we’ll do our best because just like them we want to win too. We’ll see after the game who the better side was, they’ll certainly have to play well to beat us.”

This will be the Azzurri’s first match in Zenica, their last in Bosnia coming in Sarajevo in 1996: a defeat that marked the end of the Sacchi era. After a win in the first leg in Turin, the record against Bosnia and Herzegovina stands in perfect parity: one victory apiece with the goal difference also equal. But Bosnia’s destiny is hanging from a thread. Third in Group J, they have to win to stay in contention while also hoping that Finland do not beat Liechtenstein. Mancini continued: “Tomorrow evening will be a great game. They have nothing to lose and will certainly play to win, it will be an interesting game. When we started this adventure, we all had doubts about this group. We thought that Bosnia and Finland would have the same chance of qualifying. Bosnia are better in my eyes, but Finland have been stronger and more consistent. Pjanic and his teammates still have the chance to go to the European finals through the Nations League.”

Mancini will start his strongest side, but still has a few doubts to resolve: “Belotti will start. I have two doubts about the rest of the side: one at right-back and the other in midfield. I’ll decide tomorrow morning after training.”

Captain Leonardo Bonucci was also alongside his coach at the press conference and reiterated Italy’s objectives with his words: “We have the desire to continue along this path, we have room for improvement and these games will allow us to measure ourselves against top class players like Dzeko and Pjanic. We want to be defensively aware in the game, but also keep the ball and create chances to score. The Coach has given us a clear identity: tomorrow evening we’ll have to play like we have before in the games that have allowed us to qualify without losing.” Dzeko is certainly Bosnia’s biggest threat, Bonucci highlighted this: “He’s a superb player at the very top level. He’s proved that he’s dangerous in different leagues, he has great technique and a lot of physicality. He’s a striker that I rate very highly. We’ve got a tough game ahead of us: Bosnia caused us problems in the first leg, especially in the first half, but we’ve looked at how we can do better.”

 

Squad List

Goalkeepers: Gianluigi Donnarumma (Milan), Pierluigi Gollini (Atalanta), Alex Meret (Napoli), Salvatore Sirigu (Torino);

Defenders: Francesco Acerbi (Lazio), Cristiano Biraghi (Inter), Leonardo Bonucci (Juventus), Andrea Cistana (Brescia), Giovanni Di Lorenzo (Napoli), Emerson Palmieri (Chelsea), Alessandro Florenzi (Roma), Armando Izzo (Torino), Gianluca Mancini (Roma), Alessio Romagnoli (Milan);

Midfielders:Nicolò Barella (Inter), Gaetano Castrovilli (Fiorentina), Frello Filho Jorge Luiz Jorginho (Chelsea), Rolando Mandragora (Udinese), Sandro Tonali (Brescia), Nicolò Zaniolo (Roma);

Forwards: Andrea Belotti (Torino), Federico Bernardeschi (Juventus), Federico Chiesa (Fiorentina), Stephan El Shaarawy (Shanghai Shenua), Ciro Immobile (Lazio), Lorenzo Insigne (Napoli), Riccardo Orsolini (Bologna).

Staff – Delegation Head: Gianluca Vialli; Head Coach: Roberto Mancini; Team Manager: Gabriele Oriali; Assistant coaches: Alberico Evani, Attilio Lombardo, Giulio Nuciari, Fausto Salsano; Fitness coaches: Claudio Donatelli and Andrea Scanavino; Goalkeeping coach: Massimo Battara; Match Analyst: Antonio Gagliardi and Simone Contran; Doctors: Andrea Ferretti (Medical director) and Carmine Costabile; Physiotherapists: Maurizio Fagorzi, Emanuele Randelli, Fabrizio Scalzi, Luca Lascialfari, Fabio Sannino; Osteopath: Walter Martinelli; Nutritionist: Matteo Pincella; Secretary: Emiliano Cozzi; Press officer: Paolo Corbi.

 

Schedule (all times CET)

Thursday 14 November

10:45 - Travel Florence-Sarajevo-Zenica

17:30 - Italy press conference (Coach and one player)

18:00 - Italy training (First 15 minutes open to the press)

19:45 – Bosnia and Herzegovina press conference (Head Coach and one player)

20:30 – Bosnia and Herzegovina training (First 15 minutes open to the presss)

Friday 15 November

20:45 - Bosnia Herzegovina vs. Italy

Bilino Poje Stadium in Zenica

Coaches’ press conference, mixed zone (players) and travel Sarajevo-Venice to follow.

Saturday 16 November

11:30 - Training (closed)

17:30 - New FIGC partners’ press conference

Sunday 17 November

11:00 - Travel Venice-Palermo

17:00 - Italy press conference (Head Coach and one player)

17:30 - Italy training (first 15 minutes open to the press)

18:30 - Armenia press conference (Head Coach and one player)

19:00 - Armenia training (First 15 minutes open to the press)

Monday 18 November

20:45 - Italy vs. Armenia

Stadio Renzo Barbera, Palermo

Coaches’ press conference, mixed zone (players) and return to club sides after the match.