Roberto Mancini is ready to start over with the Italian national team. The new chapter for the coach, who has returned to the leadership of the Azzurri after his previous spell ended in 2023, will begin on Friday at the Olimpico in Rome against Belgium in the opening Nations League group stage match. Mancini enthusiastically recalled his return to the squad: "Yesterday when I came back I was very happy, we had some very good times together. For me, it’s a great pleasure". The coach then delineated the philosophy he intends to implement in his new position: "The concepts I will convey to the players are straightforward: in order to succeed, a team must be a team that plays well, enjoys the game, and aspires to accomplish something important". One of the key goals will be to produce a new generation of players. "To have a strong team in the future, we need to be quick to identify the players who can help us, especially the young ones. We want to see them on the pitch", Mancini said, naming Palestra, Dimarco and Calafiori among others. The coach also emphasized the team's increased physical performance over 2021: "In my previous experience, we didn't have many players like this. We were physically behind others, but we had high technical quality, which allowed us to achieve significant outcomes." He was referencing to the team who won the European Championship in 2021, although Mancini denied feeling obligated to the fans for their success: "I’m not owed anything for winning the Euros. As for the decision I made years ago, I’ll have to do well to win the Azzurri fans back". Among the challenges noted by the coach is the increased presence of international players in Serie A, which is limiting opportunities for young Italians: "We must find a solution to this problem. We need to discover technical players and hope they can improve at their respective teams." On the possible impact of events involving the Italian Football Federation and president Giovanni Malagò, Mancini kept the focus on the pitch: "I've spoken to him, he's calm, but we need to concentrate on our work, starting with the match against Belgium." The goal is urgent, especially with major events on the horizon: "I'm here to win as quickly as possible". Regarding the new team, he added: "I'm excited to watch the younger players and form a team with these guys. I'm confident we'll have terrific success". Mancini also keeps various tactical choices open: "We're open to any tactical situation: we can play with two strikers, with a 4-3-3, but also in other ways."