Roberto Mancini has called for perspective after Italy’s defeat to Belgium, insisting the reaction at home has been disproportionate and confirming he will rotate his side in Bursa.

With quotes via TuttoMercatoWeb , the coach told Sky Sport Italia: “I think we have to stay calm and not get agitated in the way that is happening. We played against a strong side in Belgium, who did cause us difficulty, but then the team reacted well. Matches are made of episodes, the game could have changed, even if Belgium deserved to win in the end.”

With four fixtures inside eleven days, wholesale rotation was always likely.

“In terms of personnel we will definitely change, it is impossible to have one player available for four games this close together,” he said. “We can also assess other players in matches this important.”

That points to opportunities for those who watched from the bench at the Olimpico, and possibly a first start for one of the uncapped contingent. Mancini named nine players without a senior cap in his squad, and two of them, Issa Doumbia and Mohamed Ali Zoma, were introduced late on Friday with the game already lost.

He was unmoved by criticism of Alessandro Romano , handed a debut in central midfield and overwhelmed by Kevin De Bruyne.

“It doesn’t affect me. I think Romano had a very good game. Mistakes happen to everyone, including more experienced players. We are happy with his debut against Belgium.”

The trip to Turkiye brings a reunion with Vincenzo Montella, his forward line partner at Sampdoria in the 1990s, and Mancini expects a difficult evening.