Roberto Mancini’s return to the Italy dugout proved difficult as his side suffered a 2-0 home defeat to Belgium at the Stadio Olimpico on September 25, 2026. This Nations League encounter, held within a group also featuring France and Turkiye, marked Mancini’s first time back in charge since his departure in 2023. See how it all unfolded on the Liveblog. ROME, ITALY – SEPTEMBER 25: Italy team and Belgium team players observe a minute of silence in memory of Franco Baresi the UEFA Nations League 2026/27 group phase match between Italy and Belgium at Stadio Olimpico on September 25, 2026 in Rome, Italy. (Photo by Marco Rosi/Getty Images).
Belgium, playing their first match under new coach Mark van Bommel, secured the victory despite being without key players such as Leandro Trossard, Jeremy Doku, and Andre Onana, while Thibaut Courtois was omitted from the squad. Italy faced their own selection challenges, with Alessandro Bastoni suspended and Federico Dimarco, Marco Palestra, Bryan Cristante, and Nicolò Zaniolo sidelined by injury. Notably, Riccardo Calafiori started as a left-back, mirroring his club role at Arsenal. Having switched allegiance from Switzerland, alessandro Romano made his debut.
Match Highlights and Tactical Flow
- Opening Goal: Mika Godts found the net in the 20th minute following a defensive error.
- Second Goal: Dodi Lukebakio sealed the win in the 69th minute after a solo counter-attacking run.
- Key Saves: Gianluigi Donnarumma made crucial interventions, including a one-handed save against Charles De Ketelaere early on and an extraordinary reaction stop on a Godts header.
- Near Misses: Moise Kean struck the side-netting from a Nicolò Cambiaghi cross, while Giorgio Scalvini hit the underside of the crossbar in the closing stages.
The match began with a respectful moment of silence for Franco Baresi. The action was fast-paced, with Donnarumma kept busy throughout the evening as Italy struggled to maintain defensive stability. After Belgium’s opener, Diego Coppola’s defensive lapse forced the Italy goalkeeper into a double save to deny De Ketelaere. Despite Italy’s efforts to equalize through Kean, Pio Esposito, and Davide Frattesi—who flicked on a Daniel Maldini corner—the hosts failed to convert their chances. Then Francesco Pio Esposito hit the base of the upright, although he was offside on the Nicolò Barella dinked pass, gianluigi Donnarumma needed a one-handed save on the De Ketelaere angled drive after seven minutes. But Belgium opened the scoring when Romano’s misplaced pass was intercepted, De Bruyne’s through ball sent Mika Godts running, cutting inside Gianluca Mancini and finishing at the near post, moise Kean tested the goalkeeper from distance.
Post-Match Reactions
- Giovanni Di Lorenzo: Stated that criticizing the team harshly after this result is not productive.
- Riccardo Calafiori: Acknowledged that Italy showed positive moments but struggled with consistency.
- Final Whistle Incident: Tensions flared between Donnarumma and Romelu Lukaku, resulting in yellow cards for both players.
The night concluded with debuts for Momo Zoma and Issa Doumbia, though the outcome had already been decided by Lukebakio’s impressive individual effort that cut through the Italian defense. Italy now faces significant work to regroup for their upcoming Nations League fixtures as they navigate this transition under Mancini.
