Italy scored four in Bursa, then held France in Paris. Monday's rematch in Bologna can lift them to second.
Italy can climb into their group's top two by beating bottom-placed Türkiye in Bologna on Monday, with Mancini promising another new-look side.
Italy host Türkiye at the Renato Dall'Ara in Bologna on Monday to close a four-match Nations League window. Kickoff is 8.45pm local, 2.45pm ET, 11.45am PT. 12
Italy's week
Italy sit third on four points, rebuilding under Roberto Mancini after missing a third straight World Cup. Mancini's second spell began with a 2-0 home defeat by Belgium in Rome, where Italy were booed off. 3
Three days later Italy won 4-1 in Türkiye, with Alessandro Bastoni, Davide Frattesi, debutant Michael Kayode and Pio Esposito scoring. Friday brought a 1-1 draw in Paris, Bastoni scoring again and Gianluigi Donnarumma making a string of saves. 45
"There's too much anxiety around at the moment, but we have to stay calm," Mancini said. He will change the team again. 3
Türkiye's slide
Türkiye are bottom with no points and one goal in three games: 0-1 to France, 1-4 to Italy, then 0-3 in Liège on Friday, where Kevin De Bruyne scored twice. 6 Vincenzo Montella, Mancini's old Sampdoria teammate, is under pressure from the Turkish media. 3
"With these players we went to the World Cup again after 24 years," Montella said. 3
Where it turns
A win takes Italy to seven points, and a France win over Belgium in Paris at the same time would lift Italy to second. The top two in each League A group reach the quarter-finals. 1
Quote of the Day
"It hurts not to have qualified for the World Cup, but whenever something bad happens, I always try to see it as a new beginning. We're here to work hard and open a new cycle." — Michael Kayode, Italy full-back 7
References
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