Italy Seek a Turnaround, but Montella Stands in Their Way

Italy are looking to respond after their 2–0 defeat to Belgium in their Nations League opener. On Monday, September 28, they face a Türkiye side led by Vincenzo Montella, who is also seeking a response after a loss to France. The Group A1 match kicks off at 8:45 p.m. Italian time. www.uefa.com For Montella, facing his home country carries a personal weight. He admitted he would have preferred to avoid playing Italy again, having already faced them in a friendly. But his priority is clear: Türkiye need a win. Montella said that after five years in the country, including three working for its football federation, he feels accepted as one of their own and will give the team his full commitment. He also spoke about the pressure of managing Türkiye. With a joke, Montella said that when he wins, people see him as tall, handsome and blond. When results go the other way, the pressure quickly returns. Following a disappointing World Cup, his staff are working to introduce young prospects gradually while still pursuing results now. Asked whether he might coach Italy one day, Montella revealed that he had been contacted about the job several years ago, but not recently. He said he has two years left on his contract and is focused entirely on Türkiye. Respect for Italy despite their struggles Montella described Italy’s difficulties as part of the cycles teams experience in football. He nevertheless sees a competitive squad, pointing to players including Donnarumma, Bastoni, Tonali, Calafiori, Kean, Scamacca and Pio Esposito. He noted that Barella will be absent. Italy may lack the depth of some of Europe’s strongest teams, he suggested, but they still have the quality to trouble any opponent. The Türkiye coach acknowledged that Belgium were the better side on Friday, while noting that Italy had chances to get back into the match. He expects a determined response from the Azzurri. On the field, Montella wants Türkiye to keep more possession than they did against France. He also discussed Orkun’s fitness: the player had recently needed treatment to play for his club and has only just resumed partial training with the national squad. His availability will depend on how he responds. Montella ended his press conference on a lighter note, publicly wishing his former teammate Francesco Totti a happy 50th birthday after sending him a message in their WhatsApp group. On Monday, sentiment will have to give way to competition. Italy need a turnaround; Montella wants Türkiye to achieve it at their expense. Montella’s remarks are adapted from the press conference text provided from La Gazzetta dello Sport.