Roberto Mancini, the head coach of Italy, believes that the Three Lions are one of the top international teams in the world and is anticipating a “very hard match” when his team faces them on Friday night.
The Azzurri won on penalties in the Euro 2020 final just over a year ago, while a UEFA Nations League match in June ended in a 0-0 draw.
Mancini is under no illusions about the caliber of opposition his team will face at San Siro, despite the fact that England has dropped to League B after losing three of their last four games, including a lopsided home loss to Hungary.
“The English team is a great team. It was a great team in Euro 2020 and it was a great team before,” Mancini said ahead of the crunch game.
“I think England is one of the best teams in the world. It’s full of talent, especially the forwards. They have many players apart from Harry Kane, who is an extraordinary player, but the young players around him can make a difference. So it will be a very hard match for us.”