Alessandro Bastoni is confident that Italy “can compete with anyone,” following their 1-1 draw against France in the Nations League. In the match at the Stade de France, Bastoni scored the equalizer after Michael Olise’s impressive opening goal for France.
With his goal against Turkey as well, Bastoni has become the third centre-back in the past decade to score in two consecutive games for Italy, joining Gianluca Mancini and Alessio Romagnoli. Goalkeeper Gianluigi Donnarumma was crucial to the team’s performance, making seven saves, including a remarkable double stop against Desire Doue and Ousmane Dembele.
“It was a challenging match, which we expected. I’m really pleased with how the team played,” Bastoni shared with RAI Sport. “We fought hard and disrupted France’s plans for a celebration here. We realized it wouldn’t be easy, and that’s exactly how it turned out.”
“Scoring again feels great, but once I did, my focus shifted to preventing any further goals against us. This result boosts our confidence.” He emphasized that their strong performance in Paris sends a message: “If we can perform like this against France, we can take on anyone.”
Italy managed to edge out the expected goals (xG) with 1.46 compared to France’s 1.21, although Moise Kean and Davide Frattesi missed notable chances in the first half. Coach Roberto Mancini echoed Bastoni’s thoughts, stating, “We anticipated a tough match, especially at the beginning, but we minimized their opportunities while they dominated possession.”
“We played cohesively, both in attack and defense, making it a very encouraging evening for us,” Mancini added. “I aimed for this to be a progressive step for us, and I was pleased with our effort to play well against a remarkable French team filled with stars.”
Fan Take: This draw highlights Italy’s resilience and potential as a top contender in international soccer, giving fans hope for a strong performance in upcoming tournaments. Such high-stakes matches can elevate the sport’s appeal, fostering excitement and anticipation among supporters as they witness their team rise to the challenge.
Source: www.soccernews.com
