Roberto Mancini begins the search for the center forward who will take Italy to the World Cup in Qatar

Ciro Immobile as always? A reborn like Mario Balotelli? Rookies like Raspadori or Scamacca? Roberto Mancini has two months to find a scorer who allows Italy overcome the complicated playoff to go to the World Cup in Qatar-2022. Before facing North Macedonia at the end of March and then, in the event of victory, Portugal or Turkey, the Azzurro coach is bringing together 35 players for a training camp until Friday, which will be the opportunity for Mancini to see the different options for the attack, the weak point of the current European champion, who will not be able to count on Federico Chiesa until next season.

¿Real estate at the end of the Lazio way?

Ciro Immobile continues to be the number one option to occupy the center forward position, as he was in the last European Championship, but his status owes more to his performance with Lazio (17 goals in 19 games this season) than to what he has shown with his national team (15 goals in 54 games). However, the Azzurra paid dearly for his absence due to injury in the decisive matches in November. Immobile must once and for all justify his status in the national team, in which he has been a starter since the European Championship after having been competing for that position for a whole season with Andrea Belotti, who now seems ruled out due to his repeated injuries.

The Sassuolo trio?

Sassuolo put at Mancini’s disposal a trio of attackers in top form: Domenico Berardi (27 years old, 23 international caps, 6 goals), who already shone at the European Championship, and the young Giacomo Raspadori (21 years old, 7 international caps). , 1 goal) and Gianluca Scamacca (23 years old, 2 caps as international). After the last international window in November, they have shone with the Neroverdi, scoring between the three 18 of their team’s 22 goals. Berardi, who had a hard time getting back into shape after the continental tournament, should be the one to occupy the right side that Chiesa has orphaned. And Mancini could decide to align him with his two teammates to take advantage of well-established automatisms.

The time of Kean or Zaniolo?

After nearly a year and a half away from the pitch due to two serious knee injuries, Roma winger Nicolo Zaniolo returned to play in the middle of last year and is gradually recovering his level. José Mourinho uses his qualities both to attack down the flank and to play as a second striker. With 8 international appearances and two goals, the 22-year-old striker has only played half an hour since September, but if he is not injured he should be a fixture in Mancini’s squad, who made him debut at the age of 10 in March 2019. expectations are also high with Moise Kean, who can no longer be considered a debutant with the national team (12 games and 4 goals). However, the current Juventus striker seems to lack confidence (only 3 goals in 17 games this season) and has not even been called up for this stage by Mancini, who does not seem to have him.

The bet of Balotelli or Joao Pedro?

The return of Mario Balotelli, at 31 years old (14 goals in 36 selections), has been the great surprise of the squad for the three-day training camp at the Coverciano national center. It’s been more than three years since ‘Super Mario’ hasn’t worn the Azzurra and he seemed lost for the cause after half a season spent at Monza (in Series B) and his departure a few months ago to the Turkish Adana Demirspor. ”The technique is not forgotten, it is like punching for a boxer. Mario shoots like few others, in December he scored from 30 meters”, he told The Gazzetta dello Sport his coach in Turkey, the Italian Vincenzo Montella. With the call to Balotteli, Mancini also shows that the doors of the national team are open to everyone, including those players who would never have imagined wearing the historic blue shirt, such as Cagliari center forward Joao Pedro, born in Brazil 29 years ago. years old and nationalized according to FIFA rules, and that now he will have three days to convince the coach. (D)