Roberto Mancini confirms Francesco Pio Esposito and Moise Kean could start together for Italy against Belgium tomorrow. ‘I hope to make the right choices.’

It kicks off at the Stadio Olimpico in Rome on Friday at 19.45 UK time (20.45 CEST).

The Nations League Group A is completed by France and Vincenzo Montella’s Turkiye.

This is a return to the Nazionale for the coach, who won the EURO 2020 trophy and then walked away controversially in the summer of 2023.

“Tomorrow will be emotional, of course. We had some enormous satisfactions in this stadium and hope to add another tomorrow,” Mancini told Sky Sport Italia.

He was at the helm when Italy failed to qualify for the 2022 World Cup, but after his departure, they also missed out on the 2026 edition of the tournament when losing on penalties to Bosnia and Herzegovina.

“Unfortunately, this is football, you can lose games sometimes in absurd fashion. But the good thing about the sport is that it gives you an opportunity to make up for it immediately. We must keep it in mind, but then focus on the future.”

There are some new faces in the side, including Cagliari midfielder Alessandro Romano and Brentford right-back Michael Kayode, but Mancini warns he cannot revolutionise the squad too quickly.