Italy takes a narrow lead into Brussels on Monday needing only a draw against Belgium to secure a UEFA Nations League quarter-final spot, while the hosts require an outright victory to advance from Group A1.
Gli Azzurri lead Group A1 with 10 points from five matches and hold a head-to-head advantage over France. Roberto Mancini’s side enters the King Baudouin Stadium fixture following a strong 3-1 victory over Les Bleus, though squad depth faces a severe examination. According to Kompas reporting, Davide Frattesi and Nicolò Cambiaghi are ruled out of the clash, while Riccardo Calafiori’s fitness remains under late evaluation.
Davide Frattesi and Nicolò Cambiaghi are ruled out of the match alongside Nicolò Zaniolo, who departed the training camp earlier in the week due to personal reasons. According to Kompas, Frattesi sustained a muscle injury after scoring in the 3-1 victory over France, while Nicolò Cambiaghi returned to Bologna due to an ankle issue.
Mancini stated, “Susunan pemain? Semuanya sudah cukup jelas di benak saya, kita lihat saja besok” and added, “Besok kami akan menilai kondisi fisik seluruh pemain dan menguji mereka dalam sesi latihan terakhir, termasuk dua atau tiga pemain yang kondisinya masih diragukan.”
Mancini refused to let his side settle for the mathematical minimum required to progress. “Apakah ini laga berbahaya? Tentu saja karena ini laga pamungkas. Kami akan memulai laga dengan sedikit keunggulan, tapi itu tak berarti kami boleh merasa puas,” Mancini said, as reported by detikSport.
Mancini also stated, “Sejak saya tiba, saya selalu melihat hal-hal yang positif. Pertandingan nanti tidak akan jauh berbeda dengan laga melawan Prancis.” Mark van Bommel noted, “Ini pertandingan penting yang menentukan apakah kami bisa melanjutkan perjalanan atau tidak” during a pre-match press conference covered by beIN SPORTS.
Atalanta defender Giorgio Scalvini dismissed fixture congestion concerns ahead of the decisive encounter. Scalvini highlighted the upcoming direct tactical duel against club teammate Charles De Ketelaere.
/data/photo/2026/11/13/6af63e83a576b.jpg "Photo: Kompas")
Scalvini also said, “Charles adalah pemain hebat, penyerang yang agak tidak biasa karena ia pandai melindungi bola, tetapi ia juga piawai menggiring bola dan menyerang ruang” and “Selain itu, ia pribadi yang luar biasa. Hubungan kami sangat baik, tetapi besok kami akan menjadi lawan. Kami masing-masing akan berusaha semaksimal mungkin untuk membawa pulang tiga poin. Laga ini bisa memberi kami keyakinan lebih besar.” Scalvini further added, “Kami percaya, keyakinan adalah hal terpenting dan besok kami akan tampil semaksimal mungkin dengan sikap yang tepat” and “Begitu pertandingan selesai, Anda harus memulihkan tenaga dan mempersiapkan diri sebaik mungkin untuk laga berikutnya. Kami hanya punya sedikit hari untuk beristirahat, tetapi itu bukan alasan. Besok kami akan berusaha memberikan yang terbaik.”
Mark van Bommel’s Belgian outfit must break down a well-drilled Italian defensive structure to overturn the September result, where the Red Devils previously claimed a 2-0 victory in Rome. Pontianak Post confirmed that the decisive Group A1 fixture kicks off at 02.45 WIB, with group standings hanging entirely on the 90 minutes in Brussels.
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