Mancini on Lazio’s Immobile: “Maybe He’ll Score 8 & We’ll Win the World Cup”

Italy coach Roberto Mancini spoke highly of Lazio star Ciro Immobile, despite his struggles with the Azzurri.

Speaking to gathered reporters in a press conference (via LazioNews24) yesterday, the Azzurri coach first discussed the physical conditions of Stefano Sensi and Federico Bernardeschi.

Sensi is fine, he had a problem at the beginning of the week and we sidelined him a bit, but now he’s fine.

Bernardeschi? He could play, he’s a fresh player.

He then spoke about Italy’s frustrating goalless draw against Switzerland on the weekend.

I’m not too worried. The guys must be in great shape psychologically, they won the European Championship and must play calmly.

Unfortunately, sometimes the ball doesn’t go in, and in Italy we go looking for someone to blame for everything.

But we have to isolate ourselves a little from this and do certain things a little better and the team must continue to do what they do and Immobile the same. The goals will come.

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The former Inter and Manchester City coach commented on the importance of scoring in the remaining three matches of the 2022 World Cup qualifier group.

In the meantime we have to win, if we win tomorrow we recover points. Having said that, it could also come down to goal difference if we get equal points. 

But we have three games, if we win all three we qualify. Tomorrow’s game won’t be easy, they are physical and they will be deep. 

It will be up to us to break the deadlock and then manage it in the best possible way.

Mancini spoke about the idea of using a false nine in his 4-3-3 system.

We have all the possibilities, we just have to evaluate the tiredness of the players.

We are at the start of the season and the guys are coming from the European Championship, so we also need fresh players.

Immobile’s Work With Sarri at Lazio Could Help Him in Mancini’s Italy Squad

The Italian coach touched on the importance of midfielder Jorginho and how the team feel following the recent disappointing draws.

This is important, in the meantime we believe in him. Three years ago everyone, even my friends, thought he wasn’t a national team player.

We got together and won the European Championship. We’re calm, we’re just sorry for losing four points that weren’t fair to lose. 

But a bit of luck helped us during the European Championship and now a bit of luck has disadvantaged us. Now we know we have to win the next three.

Finally, Mancini discussed Lazio star Ciro Immobile, who has received heavy criticism from both fans and the press alike due to his inconsistent and often goalless performances for the Azzurri.

You know what it seems to me, that we are back to Mario Balotelli… I have no problem with this, we won the European Championship with 26 players and Ciro has always been a starter. 

Then in two games he scored, other times he came close. Then sometimes the ball doesn’t go in, I have to tell him, of course, to make certain movements but I don’t see a big problem. 

He’s always scored goals, maybe he’ll score eight and we’ll win the World Cup.

The 31-year-old Immobile has scored 15 goals in 54 Azzurri appearances, including two at Euro 2020.

Tags 2022 World Cup 2022 world cup qualifiers Azzurri Bernardeschi Biancocelesti Ciro Immobile Federico Bernardeschi immobile Italy Italy vs Switzerland Jorginho Lazio Mancini Roberto Mancini Rome Sensi Serie A Stefano Sensi Switzerland vs Italy