Montella: ‘Turkiye played incredibly against France, same mentality needed against Italy’
Vincenzo Montella praised Turkiye's performance in their 1-0 loss to France, urging the team to bring the same "spirit" into their Nations League match against Italy on Monday.
Both teams are seeking their first points in the group, having both lost their opening matches. Italy sits at the bottom after a 2-0 defeat to Belgium.
“I am proud, it’s a shame we couldn’t leave the field with a positive result,” Montella told Sky Sport Italia after Turkiye's narrow defeat to France. The lone goal came from Kylian Mbappé, assisted by Michael Olise.
“It was an incredible performance, one of our best, especially considering the opponent. We knew that even a minor mistake is costly against teams like this, but I felt we had chances too, and it was a very balanced game,” Montella added.
Despite France's possession advantage, key statistics like shots on goal (12 each) and saves (three each) were remarkably similar.
“I saw great team spirit, and that's what we must carry forward. Recovering physically and mentally so quickly won't be easy, so that spirit is paramount. I feel for my players; they truly gave their all today.”
Urugcan Cakir received a red card in the closing minutes, meaning he will miss Turkiye's home fixture against Italy on Monday evening at the Ataturk Spor Kompleski Matli Stadyumu in Bursa.
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