Mancini Names 23-Man Italy Squad for Nations League Trip to Turkey
Roberto Mancini has reduced Italy’s travelling party to 23 players for Sunday’s UEFA Nations League match against Turkey in Bursa, leaving ten members of his 33-man squad at Coverciano as he manages workloads across a demanding three-game window.
Italy will meet Vincenzo Montella’s Turkey at the Ataturk Spor Kompleksi, with kick-off set for 20:45 Italian time. Rather than take the entire squad to Bursa, Mancini has kept a separate group in Florence to avoid the additional physical cost of the return journey and maintain their condition ahead of the next fixtures.
Inter midfielder Nicolo Barella, Monza attacker Daniel Maldini and Roma centre-back Gianluca Mancini are among those staying at the Federal Technical Centre. Honest Ahanor, Diego Coppola, Samuele Inacio, Eddy Kouadio, Massimo Pessina, Samuele Ricci and Mohamed Ali Zoma complete the group not involved in the Turkey trip.
The players remaining at Coverciano are following an individual training and recovery schedule under the supervision of technical and medical staff. Massimo Maccarone, Cristiano Lupatelli, Giulio Nuciari and Luca Bossi are working with the group while the 23 selected players finalise preparations in Bursa.
France and Turkey return await
Once the match in Turkey is complete, the travelling contingent will return to Italy and join up again with the players who remained in Florence. Mancini is then expected to have his full 33-man panel available for the visit to France in Paris on October 2.
Italy’s Nations League programme concludes three days later, when Turkey travel to Bologna on October 5. The decision to split the squad for the Bursa fixture is intended to preserve energy and fitness across all three matches, with the staff seeking to limit unnecessary travel during the international break.
