They all play in the Mancini family

Roberto Mancini, during the last training session of the Italian national team.ANDREAS GEBERT / Reuters

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Alex Meret is Napoli goalkeeper and also the only one of the 26 players called up by Roberto Mancini who has not yet been able to play in the Eurocup. Even Salvatore Sirigu, the Torino goalkeeper, had his two minutes of glory when he replaced starter Gianluigi Donnarumma in the game against Wales when the score was already 1-0. The Italy coach goes out of his way to ensure that all his players participate in their internationality on the pitch and not as a medal after managing a group of 60 footballers and more than 30 debutants since he took office on May 14, 2018. Meret could be the exception unless Azzurra is guaranteed early victory in their quarter-final match against Belgium (21.00, Telecinco) or later in the semi-finals or final in London.

Roberto Mancini (Iesi, 56 years old) does not forget his difficult relationship with the

Nazionale

in his time as a player, especially for Sampdoria (1982-1997).

Il

Mancio

, nickname with which he was known, debuted in 1984, when he was 19 years old, played 36 games and scored four goals until his farewell in 1994. A career that does not correspond to the greatness he had as a footballer, one of the stars del calcium, a renowned

trescuartista

, along the lines of figures such as Roberto Baggio, Gianfranco Zola or later Alessandro Del Piero.

He did not play the 1986 World Cup in Mexico because Mancini did not apologize to Enzo Bearzot for arriving at the team's rally at five in the morning after spending a night of drinks at Studio 54 in New York.

The coach abronó the irreverent young man of 20 years and announced that he would not call him again even if he scored "40 goals", as he told Paolo Condò in

GQ

.

Bearzot later confessed that he was waiting for Mancini's apology to summon him.

There was none and its explosion was delayed until Euro 1988.

More information

• The old Italian conscience

• Italy gets serious

He had an excellent performance and even trained as an excellent gunner in the opening match in Düsselforf against Germany. “I have grown and I have changed. I accept the criticisms because they have helped me improve ”, he argued after being reprimanded for his attitude for a long time in Italy. The national team's career ended in the semi-finals against the USSR and Mancini's bond with Azzurra lost the strength it had had in his debut with Bearzot. The drama of today's coach would come in the 1990 World Cup. He did not play a second in the World Cup organized in his country despite having been cited by Azeglio Vicini. Italy did not qualify later for the European Championship in 1992 and was not included in the list for the 1994 World Cup in the United States.The story assures that Arrigo Sacchi made it clear to him that he was Baggio's substitute and Mancini rebelled after in a previous friendly he was replaced by Alberigo Evani, who today is one of his assistants in the

Nazionale

.

That day Mancini, the misunderstood genius, announced that he would not play for Italy again.

10 Italian clubs

This explains the familiar treatment he has today with his players in the national team and his frustration in Italy 90 is understood. It is also understood that he advocates for the recovery of De Bruyne and Hazard, the two Belgian figures, for the Munich match.

Mancini's Italy not only wants to play football well, but also aspires to be sporty and to extend until it can its streak of 31 games without losing and 12 consecutive victories after they conceded a goal against Austria after 1,168 minutes - the record was with 1,143 minutes held by Dino Zoff—.

The last defeat dates back to September 2019 against Portugal.

La

Azzurra

works like a big family and Mancini wins players for the cause every Eurocopa match.

The recovery of Verratti caused the departure of Locatelli and the entry of Chiesa compromised the continuity of Berardi.

Chiellini also returns.

They all add up to a selection in which up to 10 calcium clubs are represented: Torino, Milan, Naples, Juventus, Rome, Lazio, Inter, Atalanta, Sassuolo and Fiorentina.

The list is completed by Chelsea and Paris Saint Germain.

“I hope I can achieve as a coach what I lost as a player.

It's all a matter of time because we have a generation of excellent players ”, reflects Mancini.

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