Italy’s Crisis Deepens As Belgium Beat Azzurri 2-0 On Mancini’s Return

Roberto Mancini’s return to the Italy bench began with another painful night for the four-time world champions as Belgium secured a 2-0 victory in the Nations League on Friday, deepening the Azzurri’s troubles just months after they missed out on the World Cup for a third straight time.

Mancini was back in charge of Italy three years after his abrupt departure in 2023, when he resigned as coach and soon took over the Saudi Arabia national team. But his comeback failed to provide the immediate lift Italian football had hoped for as Belgium exposed familiar defensive weaknesses in front of a subdued home crowd.

Only 47,155 spectators attended the 70,000-capacity Stadio Olimpico, and frustration surfaced early. The home supporters began whistling after Belgium took the lead in the 20th minute through Mika Godts, who scored his first international goal.

Belgium captain Kevin De Bruyne, making his 125th appearance for his country, created the opening with a clever pass down the left. Godts cut inside, weaved past three Italian defenders and fired past goalkeeper Gianluigi Donnarumma.

Italy struggled to respond and conceded again midway through the second half. Dodi Lukebakio found space on the counterattack and struck from outside the area, despite a desperate attempt by Sandro Tonali to recover.

Both goals highlighted defensive lapses that Italy will need to address quickly. The first counterattack began after a poor pass from debutant Alessandro Romano, while the second came after Italy failed to contain Lukebakio in transition.

“We left gaps and conceded two avoidable goals,” Italy fullback Riccardo Calafiori said after the match, acknowledging the work still required.

The defeat was particularly frustrating for Mancini, who guided Italy to the European Championship title in 2021. The 61-year-old appeared visibly frustrated on the touchline before Italy were loudly booed off at the final whistle.

Belgium, meanwhile, enjoyed an impressive start under new coach Mark van Bommel, who took charge after Rudi Garcia's departure following the World Cup.

Italy now face a demanding schedule, travelling to Turkey on Monday before visiting France next Friday. The Azzurri will then host Turkey in Bologna as they look to recover from a difficult start and begin rebuilding confidence.