National Head Coach Roberto Mancini spoke to the FIGC's web and social media channels about how he is feeling ahead of the UEFA Nations League semi-final with Spain this evening at the FC Twente Stadium in Enschede (20:45 CEST live on Rai 1 and Sky Sport 1): “Games against Spain are always very difficult; they are a great team, play an attacking and technical brand of football and have been doing so for a long time now. I think it will be an even contest and to win we'll have to do both sides of the game well: attack strongly but maintain a good, solid structure."

Mancini confimed his satisfaction in reaching the Nations League Finals, “winning a group that contained Germany, England and Hungary, trying out some very young players who have a great future ahead of them in the national side," despite a 5-2 loss in Germany, “with a squad full of young lads and an average age of just 24.9, the lowest in Mancini's term.” But he will only be happy this evening “with a win.” According to the gaffer, “it is very important to win the Nations League,” a new competition in which “some people give less importance to, which is only true if you lose…” Although there's a long way to go before lifting a trophy can considered: “Yes, let's think about getting to the final first and then we'll speak about it...”.
 
Many have spoken these last few days about the atmosphere within the camp, since starting off in Sardinia at Forte Village that preceded this week at Coverciano before arriving here in Enschede: “Yes, it's good because we have been able to work together for seven or eight days, which we normally don't get the chance to do."

A few days ago, on 28 May, the Head Coach celebrated being in charge of the national side five years reflecting on his journey so far from Enschede: “Five years is a long time; it's difficult to be a Head Coach for five years in Italy, a bit like being Prime Minister. At times, you look back because we've had some great times and some tough ones too, but that's part of life and sport. You need to accept everything and look forward because we have a lot of important objectives to reach. I would have liked to have already won the World Cup (beyond the Euros) because that was one of our goals but we didn't even qualify, so we'll have to wait another three years…”.
 
His last thought went to the Youth teams, the Under-20s' World Cup run and to the young players that he has always shown faith in, often alone. He also praised the work of Carmine Nunziata because “nobody expected to do what he did with the Under 20 side”. Final reflections focused on regulations and the International fixture schedule “because in an important competition like the Under-20 World Cup it should be possible that all the best players are available to every national side”, and in all honesty, “if Italy had sent Gnonto and Scalvini, and others who weren't there, we would have won it comfortably."