«I repeat, there are no Italian strikers. Balotelli? Chapter closed»- Corriere.it

A few clarifications, without missing a certain polemical vein. On the sidelines of the event organized to announce the renewal of the partnership between Tim and the Italian national football team (which has lasted since 1999), Robert Mancini he returned to talking about the decision to call up native-born players, as happened recently with Mateo Retegui: «There are many players that we follow around the world – explained the blue coach – but if we call up players with an Italian career behind them, we are pleased because it takes away some problems of insertion». And yet, given the small number of Italian strikers in Serie A, the coach is forced to fish abroad as well: «Try to see how many strikers can be called up, they are very few. Those who have been excluded must not feel bad but continue to work ».

Also recently excluded Cyrus Immobile, who, among active players, is the one who has scored the most goals both in Serie A and wearing the blue shirt: «He wasn’t with us lately due to injury, but he’s not the problem. Unfortunately there are no alternatives. Balotelli? I would say instead that it is a closed chapter». And to those who point out that in Rome they have caused discussions about the non-convocations of the Romanist Gianluca Mancini and Mattia Zaccagni from Lazio, replies: «We called the first up when he was still at Atalanta, so we believe in him and he was often with us. We made Zaccagni make his debut, if he continues to do well we’ll call him, but if we haven’t done so it’s for valid reasons ».

Then Manicini focuses on the final phase of the Nations League which will be played in June: «It seems to me that it is a tournament which is given importance only if we lose, we still aim for victory. For the second time, however, we are in the final phase, so we will have done something good. For those commitments we will make specific preparations, a bit like we did for the European Championships. In fact, we will have time to be with the players, not as has happened on recent occasions, when we play close to the club’s commitments. In my opinion there are too many matches, they should be decreased but instead they increase. Players should have time to breathe.” Finally, a comment on the sensational 4-0 with which Milan conquered the Napoli field: «The Champions League is something else, in my opinion the match on Sunday evening doesn’t change anything».