Roberto Mancini's Return to Italy: Squad Plans and Challenges
Roberto Mancini is back in charge of Italy, and he is not easing his way into the job.
According to leaked details reported by La Gazzetta dello Sport, the returning head coach is preparing an extra-large squad of up to 35 players for a punishing international window that will test both depth and imagination. Eight years on from his first appointment in May 2018, Mancini’s second spell with the Azzurri opens with four Nations League matches squeezed into just 11 days.
A brutal schedule, a bloated squad
The calendar explains the numbers. Italy open against Belgium in Rome on 25 September, then head out for away games in Turkey and France before returning home to face Turkey again in Bologna. Four games, three cities, two countries, and barely time to train between them.
Mancini’s answer is volume. He wants options everywhere, legs to rotate, and enough tactical flexibility to survive a run that will shape both the Nations League group and Italy’s seeding for the Euro 2028 qualification draw in Belfast.
New faces, new bets
The most intriguing part of the leaked list sits with the uncapped names. Romano, Zoma, and Samuel Inacio are all expected to be involved for the first time, a clear signal that Mancini is willing to gamble on potential rather than lean only on reputation.
Romano, a midfielder, has forced his way into the conversation with a surge of recent form at club level. With central options thinned by injuries, his timing could not be better. Zoma, a German-based forward, offers what Italy have lacked for too long: natural width and the ability to stretch a back line. Samuel Inacio adds another fresh option as Mancini searches for new solutions across the pitch.
Doumbia and Ahanor are also under consideration, further underlining the experimental edge to this first squad back. Between the posts, Bologna goalkeeper Pessina could be rewarded with a call-up, joining an established goalkeeping group of Gianluigi Donnarumma, Marco Carnesecchi, and Guglielmo Vicario.
The Euro 2020 spine holds
For all the new blood, Mancini is not tearing up his old blueprint. The core of Italy’s Euro 2020 triumph remains central to his plans. Nicolò Barella, Giovanni Di Lorenzo, Bryan Cristante, and Alessandro Bastoni are all expected to feature, anchoring the dressing room with experience of winning under pressure in an Azzurri shirt.
There is also room, potentially, for a couple of surprise comebacks. Federico Bernardeschi, a Euro 2020 winner who has drifted away from the national picture, is under consideration for a recall, as is midfielder Rolando Mandragora. Both would bring know-how and tactical intelligence to a squad that could skew young in several areas.
Injuries bite, Retegui waits
Mancini’s plans are not without setbacks. A cluster of injuries has removed several key names from the equation. Federico Chiesa, Nicolò Zaniolo, Manuel Locatelli, and Alessandro Buongiorno are all ruled out, stripping Italy of creativity, physicality, and defensive stability in one hit.
Mateo Retegui, meanwhile, remains on holiday in Argentina. He is not expected to be in the initial group, but the door stays open: if the situation demands it, he can still be summoned.
Balancing act with the Under-21s
One thing Mancini has chosen not to do is launch a full-scale revolution. Italy’s Under-21 side, led by Bernardo Baldini, is in the middle of crucial European qualifiers, and the senior coach has decided not to raid that squad wholesale.
Cher Ndour, Niccolo Pisilli, and Luca Koleosho will all stay with the Under-21s, preserving the integrity of their campaign and avoiding a domino effect that could weaken two national teams at once. For now, the generational handover will be gradual, not brutal.
Nations League stakes
Beneath the experimentation and the nostalgia sits a clear objective. Italy must finish in the top two of Nations League Group A to reach the quarter-finals. With four games in 11 days, squad rotation is not a luxury; it is a necessity. Every selection choice, every rest day, every tweak in shape will matter.
And there is more on the line than immediate results. This run will feed directly into the Euro 2028 qualification seeding. Perform well, and Italy can set themselves up for a smoother path to the next major tournament. Stumble, and the road to Belfast – and beyond – starts to look a lot steeper.
Mancini returns to a different Italy, a different dressing room, a different international landscape. His first squad list back will show just how bold he is prepared to be.
