'Need them to get nasty colds!' - Roberto Mancini makes hilarious France claim ahead of Zinedine Zidane clash
Mancini relishes Zidane challenge in Paris
Mancini is eagerly anticipating Italy's upcoming trip to Paris to face France this Friday. The heavyweight clash at the Stade de France marks Zidane's first home fixture since taking charge of the national team.
Both nations are still finding their feet under their respective managers, setting the stage for an intriguing encounter. France head into the match following back-to-back 1-0 victories over Turkey and Belgium, while Italy have experienced a mixed start.
The visitors suffered a 2-0 defeat to Belgium in their opening fixture before bouncing back with a commanding 4-1 win in Turkey. Mancini rotated his squad heavily across those two games, leaving his starting line-up for Friday entirely unpredictable.
'We need them to get nasty colds'
Despite the prestige of the fixture, Mancini was quick to play down his personal rivalry with his opposite number. Instead, the Italy boss focused on the daunting task of facing a star-studded French side.
"Facing Zidane will be a pleasure, but this isn’t a duel between us," Mancini told press. "It is going to be a great game between France and Italy teams who are still trying to figure things out. Whatever happens, I feel that this match will be very useful for the process."
Recognising the immense quality in the opposition ranks, the Italian manager offered a light-hearted assessment of his team's chances. He joked: "It is exciting trying to beat players like Ousmane Dembele, Michael Olise and Desire Doue. We’d need all of them to get a nasty cold for France to drop down a few levels."
France hold the edge over Italy
Mancini openly admitted that France are currently further ahead in their development than his own rebuilding Italy side. However, he remains adamant that the visitors will not travel to Paris simply to sit back and invite pressure.
"France are more advanced in their process compared to us, but I think it will still be a high-level challenge," Mancini noted. "Having said all that, we want to make a good impression here, we won’t just go out there trying to defend ourselves. The objective is always play to win."
Injury concerns disrupt preparations for both sides
Both managers have been forced to deal with frustrating injury setbacks ahead of the highly anticipated kick-off. France will be without talismanic forward Kylian Mbappe, who has withdrawn from the squad due to a knee problem.
The Real Madrid attacker has already returned to the Spanish capital to receive medical treatment. His absence will undoubtedly blunt the French attack, though Zidane still boasts plenty of dangerous alternatives to call upon.
Meanwhile, Italy have their own fitness headaches to manage before the match. Moise Kean is considered a significant injury concern for the Italians, potentially leaving Mancini short of attacking options as he finalises his tactical plans.
