France v Italy: Zinedine Zidane set for home bow as Roberto Mancini begins 'long journey'
The mixture of delight and relief for Zinedine Zidane was clear for all to see as the new France manager charged away from the dugout before blasting a ball down the touchline in celebration, following Michael Olise's superb late winner against Belgium. It looked like Zidane's second match in charge of Les Blues was going to end in a goalless, if entertaining, draw in Brussels when Olise picked…
As Zinedine Zidane celebrated his second match as France's manager, the goal scorer Michael Olise seemed to be leading a second act of brilliance. The Belgium defense struggled against the Bayern Munich winger, who danced past two defenders before slotting a low shot into the net. Zidane's delight in his player's skill was evident, as he praised Olise's dribbling ability and tactical awareness.
The victory moved France to the top of Group A1 in the Nations League, with Zidane expressing satisfaction in his team's performance. The new French manager, who returns to international management after a long hiatus, praised his squad's ability to grind out 1-0 wins away from home. As France prepares to face Italy at home, Zidane looks forward to the match with anticipation, knowing that his team needs rest after a busy schedule.
Meanwhile, Italy's coach Roberto Mancini, returning for his second spell with the Azzuri, hopes to restore national pride after a recent 2-0 defeat to Belgium. Mancini's team has started this journey with a strong 3-0 win against Turkey.
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