Prandelli praises Mancini: “With Gattuso, Bastoni was sent off, now he has scored two goals”

Cesare Prandelli said he is convinced that the turning point is definitive: “The revolution has begun, there is no going back.” Speaking to the Gazzetta dello Sport, the former Azzurri coach expressed appreciation for Roberto Mancini and how he managed the group in the recent Nations League matches.

“There was a different Italy: they pressed, they had confidence in their game, they sacrificed collectively if someone lost the ball. Belgium couldn’t get out. But of course, at the base of these performances are Roberto’s vision and courage,” said Prandelli.

The former coach then touched on the topic of young players, comparing the current management with that of the previous period. “Everyone talked about them, but no one actually played them in the clubs. It was tough even in the National Team, with the specter of the lost World Cup. Rino Gattuso couldn’t do it because he was in an emergency, he had to qualify and didn’t have time to invest. Then, let’s be honest, Rino was also unlucky: with him Alessandro Bastoni got sent off, here Bastoni scored two goals.”

On the structural problem that has hindered the growth of Italian talents for years, Prandelli added: “That project no longer exists, but if young players start playing again, the problem is gone. For many years there was a gap: up to the Under 20s they did very well, they won, then they lost all their advantage, as they were used to tactics and rarely played in matches.”