Giovanni Malago has visited Coverciano to show his support for Roberto Mancini ahead of Italy’s Nations League opener against Belgium at the Stadio Olimpico on Friday.

According to Corriere dello Sport , the FIGC president was greeted at the federal technical centre by Diana Bianchedi, recently appointed as the national team’s head of delegation. Images of the visit were broadcast by Sky.

Speaking the previous evening in Rapallo, where he received an award from Panathlon International, Malago struck an upbeat note on the Azzurri’s fresh start. “I am an optimist by nature, but above all we all have to be.”

The visit carries weight given the FIGC chief’s role in the appointment. It was the FIGC president who confirmed Mancini’s return in July , three years after the coach walked away from the job, and who installed Claudio Ranieri as technical director alongside him.

Mancini replaced Gennaro Gattuso, who left by mutual consent after Italy’s penalty shootout defeat to Bosnia and Herzegovina in March cost them a third successive World Cup.