Mancini: Italy's Nations League results a pleasant surprise

Roberto Mancini admits Italy's competitiveness in the Nations League has come as something of a surprise, ahead of the Azzurri facing France in a key clash.

Having taken seven points from their first four games in Nations League Group A1, Italy are three behind leaders France and one clear of third-placed Belgium.

They will face both of those teams before this week is through, welcoming Zinedine Zidane's Bleus to San Siro on Thursday, before travelling to Brussels on Sunday.

Expectations were relatively low when Euro 2020-winning coach Mancini returned to the Azzurri dugout, after they became the first former World Cup winners to miss three straight editions of the tournament, then were rejected by Pep Guardiola and several other coaches this summer.

A 2-0 defeat to Belgium in Mancini's first game back at the helm represented a worrying start, but since then, Italy have beaten Türkiye home and away, either side of an encouraging 1-1 draw with France in Paris.

And Mancini has been pleasantly surprised by the team's development, saying: "We want to confirm and improve on the previous performances, and seeing as we have seven points and two games left to play, we can still qualify, too.

"This seems positive to me, and, considering how things started, it's a little unexpected."

France were without Kylian Mbappe for that previous fixture between the sides, which will also be the case on Thursday after he complained of discomfort in his thigh.

The Azzurri still needed Gianluigi Donnarumma to make seven saves, compared to one by Mike Maignan in the opposite net, to leave the Stade de France with a point, but Mancini is anticipating a different game this week.

"We had a good game in France, including in those moments when we had to defend, because they are a great team," Mancini said.

"France kept us pinned back, and in the second half, Gigio rescued us. Tomorrow's game will be different. We will try to win against one of the best sides in the world.

"Zidane has won almost every match, he knows those players very well, he won so much at Real Madrid too, and I think he will have a great career at international level."

A win over France could see Italy confirm a quarter-final place with a game to spare, though that would also require Belgium to lose away at Türkiye.