Mancini Faces Criticism Over Espousing Veterans and Omitting Promising Talent in Squad Selections
National team call-ups often spark lively discussions, and Roberto Mancini’s latest choices are no exception. The 31-man squad for the Nations League matches against France and Belgium features a mix of seasoned players and young prospects who have attracted attention. However, several non-injured player omissions have left fans and analysts questioning the selections.
A significant highlight of the discussions involves the exclusion of Giacomo Calò. The Frosinone midfielder has had a stellar season so far, netting 5 goals and providing 2 assists, catching the eye of national selectors. Mancini’s decision to omit him has raised questions, especially in light of choosing players like Ricci, a less prominent figure in Fabregas’s Como team, and the young Riccardo Cassano, who has yet to debut this season.
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The player’s agent, Vincenzo Pisacane, expressed his surprise and disappointment over Mancini’s decision: “It’s only natural that he was hoping for an Italy call-up, and in my opinion, it would have been right to acknowledge his performance. I hope this omission doesn’t indicate a disregard for meritocracy, and that Giacomo can be called up later if he continues his form; otherwise, it would imply a lack of logic in the national team selections.”
Additionally, the omission of Bryan Cristante surprised many. The Roma midfielder has demonstrated significant improvement with recent performances, yet he was not included in the squad this time, unlike when injury forced him to withdraw from Mancini’s previous selection.
In addition to these surprises, Emanuele Lulli has been left out but for understandable reasons, as he joins Silvio Baldini’s Under-21 squad gearing up for the upcoming European Under-21 Championship. This absence likely aims to maintain the strength of the Under-21 roster, which features Cher Ndour as captain.
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Other notable omissions include Romano Floriani Mussolini, who has shone at Lazio under Rino Gattuso but sees Mancini favor Marco Palestra instead, who recently made his Chelsea debut. On the forward line, Daniel Maldini is another surprise omission despite his recent performances, which have shown more creative potential, including goals against Juventus and Roma.
In his squad choices for this upcoming match, Mancini has opted for younger talents such as Koleosho and Liberali, while recalling Zaniolo, making it clear that some omissions are not seen as a permanent dismissal.
This article was translated into English by Artificial Intelligence. You can read the original version in 🇮🇹 here.
