Montella on Italy: I would have preferred to avoid them, but we want the quarter-finals

In view of the double clash between Turkey and Italy in the Nations League, Montella expressed mixed feelings about the double challenge against the Azzurri. According to Gazzetta dello Sport, the coach admitted that he would have liked to face any national team except the Italian one, let alone twice in such a short time. The emotion will be strong, but Turkey’s goal remains clear: to reach the quarterfinals by finishing among the top two in the group.

Regarding the restart of both teams, Montella highlighted the profound changes in Italy, which are not limited to the bench. The Turkish national team is also focusing on young players, sometimes perhaps ahead of schedule, and with the current format there is no room for mistakes. Turkey is facing the Nations League Serie A for the first time and wants to measure itself against the best in Europe.

Regarding the psychological situation of the Azzurri, the coach described it as truly incredible: missing three consecutive World Cups is something unimaginable. There has also been some bad luck, with Italy arriving at decisive matches without peace of mind, with too much tension and desire. However, Mancini is working well with the young players, bringing them in early as he did in his first cycle.

The coach acknowledged that without Calhanoglu and Yildiz Turkey will not be the same. Muldur will also be missing at first, making the four matches a testing ground for the new players, with everything becoming more complicated. Montella hopes for balanced matches against the Azzurri and, among the strongest Italian players, he especially pointed out Donnarumma: scoring against Gigio is really a problem.