Mancini recalled for Italy's France clash; Ghilardi left out

Manu Koné has won praise from French football legend Marcel Desailly, who told Corriere della Sera: "Manu is a fantastic player." Koné has been a regular starter for Roma over two years and holds an important role in France's squad under Zinedine Zidane's management. Chelsea made a late attempt to sign Koné during the summer transfer window, while Atlético Madrid moved for him in June, but Roma retained him. He has begun the season in strong form, delivering top-level performances including a double against Inter. Koné will face Italy in the Nations League on 2 October, followed by a match against Belgium on 3 October, before returning to Gasperini's side for the challenging fixture against Como on 11 October.

Gianluca Mancini has been recalled to the Italy squad for Friday 2 October's match against France, kickoff 20:45, after missing the recent trip to Turkey. Coach Roberto Mancini has named him in his selections while dropping Roma defender Daniele Ghilardi, who will miss one of Italy's final three matches in this international window. The Italy manager continues to rotate his squad on a match-by-match basis, with nine players omitted for the France fixture. He applied the same approach in recent games against Belgium and Turkey. Following victory over Turkey, Italy will look to secure another win against France in what the article describes as a delicate fixture. Mancini's return to the squad gives Roma another player available for selection after his Turkey absence.

Rodrigo Mora (19) starred for Portugal Under 21 in a 4–0 qualifying victory over Gibraltar for the Under 21 European Championship. Playing 60 minutes, the Roma midfielder opened the scoring with a spectacular overhead kick from around the penalty spot and delivered playmaking displays throughout the match, earning a standing ovation when he was substituted. Mora's performance underlined his quality as a creative midfielder and reinforces Roma's depth in the position. His contribution to Portugal's qualifying campaign continues his development at club level.

Gianluca Mancini has been recalled to the Italy squad for Friday 2 October's match against France, kickoff 20:45, after missing the recent trip to Turkey. Coach Roberto Mancini has named him in his selections while dropping Roma defender Daniele Ghilardi, who will miss one of Italy's final three matches in this international window. The Italy manager continues to rotate his squad on a match-by-match basis, with nine players omitted for the France fixture. He applied the same approach in recent games against Belgium and Turkey. Following victory over Turkey, Italy will look to secure another win against France in what the article describes as a delicate fixture. Mancini's return to the squad gives Roma another player available for selection after his Turkey absence.

Italy's national team coach has recalled Gianluca Mancini for Thursday's match against France on 2 October at 20:45, after the Roma defender missed the recent trip to Turkey. Daniele Ghilardi has been dropped and will miss his second fixture in the last three. The coach's selection pattern continues to involve rotation, with nine players omitted from the squad; Romano is also absent. Mancini's return provides a boost for Roma's central defender as Italy prepare to build on their victory over Turkey. The fixture against France represents a significant test for the national team, with the coach seeking to add momentum to the campaign.

Rodrigo Mora (Portugal) stole the spotlight during the international break, scoring a spectacular overhead kick in the 21st minute of Portugal Under 21's 4-0 victory over Gibraltar. The goal unlocked the match and secured Portugal's mathematical qualification for the 2027 Under 21 European Championship. Mora played until the 61st minute and created further opportunities, including a cross in the second half that Rafael Nel narrowly missed. Leonardo Balerdi (Argentina) made his mark in a 4-0 demolition of Bolivia in a friendly at Córdoba, entering the pitch at the 56th minute in place of Cristian Romero and playing the final half-hour comfortably in Argentina's dominant display. Evan N'Dicka (Ivory Coast) continued as a defensive cornerstone, playing all 90 minutes in a 2-0 qualifier victory against Somalia in the Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers; the Ivorian defence produced a flawless performance, with the opposition unable to register a single shot on target. N'Dicka has now completed two consecutive matches without conceding, following a 2-0 win over Ghana. Manu Koné (France) appeared only in the closing stages of France's 1-0 victory in Belgium, coming on at the 90th minute to replace Lucas Da Cunha immediately after Olise's decisive goal—too brief a cameo for meaningful assessment. Gianluca Mancini (Italy) remained at Coverciano for a specialized training programme alongside other Italy squad members and missed the 4-1 win against Turkey, while Daniele Ghilardi (Italy) stayed on the bench throughout. The international window continues with further fixtures: Niccolò Pisilli and Emanuele Lulli are set to feature for Italy Under 21, Konstantinos Koulierakis for Greece, and Giorgio De Marzi for the United States Under 19.

Gianluca Mancini has been recalled to the Italy squad for Friday 2 October's match against France, kickoff 20:45, after missing the recent trip to Turkey. Coach Roberto Mancini has named him in his selections while dropping Roma defender Daniele Ghilardi, who will miss one of Italy's final three matches in this international window. The Italy manager continues to rotate his squad on a match-by-match basis, with nine players omitted for the France fixture. He applied the same approach in recent games against Belgium and Turkey. Following victory over Turkey, Italy will look to secure another win against France in what the article describes as a delicate fixture. Mancini's return to the squad gives Roma another player available for selection after his Turkey absence.

Italy's national team coach has recalled Gianluca Mancini for Thursday's match against France on 2 October at 20:45, after the Roma defender missed the recent trip to Turkey. Daniele Ghilardi has been dropped and will miss his second fixture in the last three. The coach's selection pattern continues to involve rotation, with nine players omitted from the squad; Romano is also absent. Mancini's return provides a boost for Roma's central defender as Italy prepare to build on their victory over Turkey. The fixture against France represents a significant test for the national team, with the coach seeking to add momentum to the campaign.

Rodrigo Mora (Portugal) stole the spotlight during the international break, scoring a spectacular overhead kick in the 21st minute of Portugal Under 21's 4-0 victory over Gibraltar. The goal unlocked the match and secured Portugal's mathematical qualification for the 2027 Under 21 European Championship. Mora played until the 61st minute and created further opportunities, including a cross in the second half that Rafael Nel narrowly missed. Leonardo Balerdi (Argentina) made his mark in a 4-0 demolition of Bolivia in a friendly at Córdoba, entering the pitch at the 56th minute in place of Cristian Romero and playing the final half-hour comfortably in Argentina's dominant display. Evan N'Dicka (Ivory Coast) continued as a defensive cornerstone, playing all 90 minutes in a 2-0 qualifier victory against Somalia in the Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers; the Ivorian defence produced a flawless performance, with the opposition unable to register a single shot on target. N'Dicka has now completed two consecutive matches without conceding, following a 2-0 win over Ghana. Manu Koné (France) appeared only in the closing stages of France's 1-0 victory in Belgium, coming on at the 90th minute to replace Lucas Da Cunha immediately after Olise's decisive goal—too brief a cameo for meaningful assessment. Gianluca Mancini (Italy) remained at Coverciano for a specialized training programme alongside other Italy squad members and missed the 4-1 win against Turkey, while Daniele Ghilardi (Italy) stayed on the bench throughout. The international window continues with further fixtures: Niccolò Pisilli and Emanuele Lulli are set to feature for Italy Under 21, Konstantinos Koulierakis for Greece, and Giorgio De Marzi for the United States Under 19.