Roberto Mancini looks to bring more success to Italy as Nations League campaign begins

[p][a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/game/soccer/belgium-GbB957na/italy-hlKvieGH/?mid=tdpJ30MO"]On Friday[/a], the Azzurri begin their UEFA Nations League campaign against [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/belgium/GbB957na/"]Belgium[/a] at the Stadio Olimpico in Rome.[/p][p]It will be [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/italy/hlKvieGH/"]Italy[/a]'s first competitive match since a play-off defeat to [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/bosnia-herzegovina/fqe7WYTr/"]Bosnia and Herzegovina[/a] in March sealed a humbling third consecutive failure to reach the World Cup.[/p][p]The four-time world champions have been through something of a revolution since that grim night in Zenica.[/p][p][a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/mancini-roberto/phNfFF8I/"]Mancini[/a], the architect of Italy's last major triumph at Euro 2020, is back as head coach, bringing a refreshed squad featuring plenty of young and untested players.[/p][p]"[b]We have to take the national team back to where it deserves to be,[/b]" Mancini said on Monday.[/p][p]"[b]I'm here to win and I'm sure we'll enjoy some great moments.[/b]"[/p][embed guid="2eca046a-47c5-466f-85ef-fa985f5e6f3c" url="https://x.com/Azzurri_En/status/2101004577143169372?s=20" social-type="twitter" /][p]Off the pitch, [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/claudio-ramos/Myzz6wYk/"]Claudio Ranieri[/a] and [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/zola-gianfranco/UDztVf85/"]Gianfranco Zola[/a] have assumed roles as technical director and youth projects coordinator, respectively, while Milan-Cortina Olympics boss [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/daffara-giovanni/fo4FelbK/"]Giovanni Malago[/a] was elected as the new Italian Football Federation (FIGC) president in June.[/p][p]This raft of changes came following widespread calls for root-and-branch reform of the Italian game in the wake of a qualifying calamity that ensured an entire generation has grown up without seeing their country at a World Cup.[/p][p]But the road to get there was far from smooth.[/p][p]Heads rolled after the defeat in Bosnia, with coach [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/gattuso-gennaro/4KygbMf9/"]Gennaro Gattuso[/a], delegation head [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/buffon-gianluigi/xKQMi1qO/"]Gianluigi Buffon[/a] and FIGC president [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/zago-gabriele/Svf7xBDk/"]Gabriele Gravina[/a] leaving.[/p][p]When Malago became FIGC president, his first major move was to appoint AC Milan legend [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/maldini-paolo/YoxUzuYk/"]Paolo Maldini[/a] as technical director to oversee the hunt for a new coach.[/p][h2]'Love of my life'[/h2][p]After being turned away by Brazil boss Carlo Ancelotti, Maldini set his sights on [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/guardiola-pep/hxNijWrJ/"]Pep Guardiola[/a].[/p][p]"[b]We went to meet him in Barcelona, we had lunch together, we talked for an entire day. He was very tempted,[/b]" Maldini told Corriere della Sera.[/p][p]"[b]He came very close to accepting. He even started writing line-ups down on sheets of paper.[/b]"[/p][p]Maldini insisted that "money was never an issue" and Guardiola's refusal came down to "exhaustion" after a decade-long spell with Manchester City ended this summer.[/p][p]The next name on Maldini's list was his former team-mate [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/pirlo-andrea/2kfSDavF/"]Andrea Pirlo[/a]. However, Pirlo pulled out of the running when controversy erupted over his role as a global ambassador for a Russian betting company, something he insisted was "[b]exclusively commercial and sporting in nature[/b]".[/p][p]The [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/iraola-andoni/xpALVpwq/"]Pirlo saga[/a] led to Maldini and his advisor Leonardo sensationally quitting after just 16 days in post.[/p][p]Maldini subsequently explained that "the conditions of trust no longer existed" with Malago, who was left back at square one.[/p][p]Mancini soon emerged as the chosen one and was appointed in July in what proved to be a divisive move.[/p][p]While the 61-year-old's track record speaks for itself, his decision to step down as Italy coach in August 2023 and take a lucrative job with Saudi Arabia angered many Italians.[/p][p]When Mancini's return was confirmed, Rome-based newspaper Corriere dello Sport published an open letter accusing him of a "betrayal" and saying "apologies are not enough", while Sky Sport pundit Paolo Condo said his decision to "abandon the national team for a lavish payday" should have been a "road of no return".[/p][p]Mancini immediately addressed these criticisms at his presentation.[/p][p]"[b]I'm very sorry. The Italy shirt was always very important to me. It was like losing the love of my life[/b]," he said.[/p][p]Mancini's first squad underlined that a new era was underway, with nine new faces included in an intriguing 34-man selection.[/p][p]Youngsters like [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/romano-alessandro/bqU5rclh/"]Alessandro Romano[/a] and [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/kouadio-eddy/OYLWZmbK/"]Eddy Kouadio[/a] were called, as well as players from outside Italy like Sporting Lisbon midfielder [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/doumbia-issa/dfIWSyf9/"]Issa Doumbia[/a], Brentford's [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/kayode-michael/CrxJQ1Q8/"]Michael Kayode[/a] and Nuernberg striker [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/zoma-mohamed-ali/Qcn3Sysd/"]Mohamed Ali Zoma[/a].[/p][p]"[b]I think it's right to have young players so we can get to know them directly, because that's the most important thing to have a very strong squad in the future[/b]," Mancini said.[/p][p]"[b]We have to be quick to understand who could be the players that could be with us for the next four years.[/b]"[/p][p]After hosting Belgium on Friday, Italy face [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/turkey/QeijuHo5/"]Turkey[/a] twice, either side of a trip to [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/zidane-zinedine/b7zuQEqO/"]Zinedine Zidane[/a]'s [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/france/QkGeVG1n/"]France[/a].[/p]