Vincenzo Montella believes Türkiye has the ability to defeat Italy, provided it maintains its ambition.

The second round of the 2026/27 UEFA Nations League Group A will feature a key match as Turkey hosts Italy. Vincenzo Montella, in an interview, stated that he believes Turkey has the ability to defeat Mancini's Italy as long as they maintain their ambition, drive, and discipline.

In the first round of the UEFA Nations League group stage, Türkiye lost 0-1 to France after Mbappe scored in the second half.

In Italy, Mancini's team lost 0-2 to Belgium in the first round of the group stage.

It's worth mentioning that Vincenzo Montella played alongside current Italian national team coach Roberto Mancini at Sampdoria during his career, and the two even partnered up in attack.

Turkey's head coach Vincenzo Montella said, "The players played exceptionally well and showed great fighting spirit. We conceded a goal due to a brief lapse in concentration, but we could have won that game. Now we will immediately refocus and put our attention on the match against Italy. This time, as long as we maintain the same discipline and ambition, we can win the game."

"This is undoubtedly a decisive match, even a very important one. It will also be a match filled with complex emotions. If I had to choose, I certainly wouldn't choose such an opponent. But I will give everything for Turkey. They have accepted me and supported me, making me feel like I've become one of them, and I will do my best for the national team I coach."

When discussing the abilities of Italian goalkeeper Gianluigi Donnarumma, Vincenzo Montella said, "If I could, I would cross Donnarumma out. He is an extraordinary player, and the way he protects the goal is truly incredible."

“We have some very important players out, but I have great faith in the gradual development process and believe that some young players should be given opportunities. Playing four games in a row at this level will inevitably require some adjustments from the team.”

In addition, Vincenzo Montella said, "Güler is a very good player. He can see passing lanes that others cannot. He is making great progress, including his performance off the ball, and he still has room for further development."

“I would love to play with Gueller, just like I did with Mancini back then. That experience was wonderful for me.”

Image source: Internet