Berlin (AFP) – Germany boss Hansi Flick expects Italy’s under-pressure head coach Roberto Mancini to come back out firing and encourage the European champions in Saturday’s Nations League conflict.
Italy host Germany in Bologna with the hosts licking their wounds from a 3-0 thrashing by Argentina in Wednesday’s Finalissima at Wembley and nonetheless reeling after once more lacking out on World Cup qualification.
A shock 1-0 defeat to North Macedonia in a play-off in March noticed Italy fail to qualify for a second successive World Cup.
“We were all surprised that Italy were knocked out and it’s not easy to predict how they will play,” Flick stated at Germany’s coaching base in Herzogenaurach, Bavaria.
He is wary of Mancini, who’s main one other rebuilding job within the wake of Italy’s newest World Cup blow after taking up as coach in 2018 and masterminding their Euro 2020 triumph.
“It’s the second time Mancini has started a new cycle,” stated Flick.
“He has a very big squad with young, ambitious players.
“He did a fantastic job after the World Cup in Russia.
“I think we were all fans (of the Italian team) during the European Championship – the team spirit and how they played was impressive.
“He will try to do the same again and has the quality to implement that.”
Germany have eight wins and one draw from 9 video games since Flick took cost, however historical past reveals he’s proper to be cautious.
Italy have received 15 of the 35 conferences between the European powerhouses with 12 attracts and simply eight wins by Germany.
Italian sports activities day by day Gazzetta dello Sport views the Germany match as a “decisive test for this Italy, whose mood and prestige are sinking ever lower”.
The Germans wish to throw down a marker initially of a dense run of Nations League video games.
They host England on Tuesday in Munich, then play Hungary away 4 days later earlier than dealing with Italy in Moenchengladbach on June 14.
“We want to be back among the world’s best,” stated Flick, with the Germans nonetheless smarting from their 2018 World Cup group stage exit as reigning champions.
“Now we’ll have to see what the four games yield and see what we need to do better before the 2022 World Cup.”
