Italy coach Roberto Mancini urged to find a way to move past the World Cup disappointment: “Sports are made of victories and defeats. At times, you experience great triumphs like the Euro. We will be the title holders for two more years, and that is a very important thing. Then, they can throw major challenges at you, exactly as it happens in real life.”
The gaffer talked to Mediaset and Sky during an event in Milan: “I am pleased for what I accomplished with the Azzurri overall. Clearly, I am very sorry for the result of the playoffs. However, I can still walk with my head held high. Unfortunately, we were unable to prevail due to a series of unfavorable circumstances, and that is all. The guys were fantastic as always, and I nothing to blame them for.”
Mancini looked back at his previous achievements with Italy: “We stayed undefeated for 37 games in a row and took home the continental competition. It is not an inglorious track record. Everything is in the past at this point. We will hurt until December, but then we will have to start thinking about the future challenges.”
“Such is life. You can have huge joys but also equally big disappointments. The most important thing is to find the strength to forge ahead. Restarting can generate great emotions and lead to victories that are even sweeter than the previous ones.” The Azzurri will be back on the pitch in June to face Argentina and for multiple Nations League games.