In terms of FIFA rankings, they are the strongest national team in the world, but the bookmakers say that Belgium won’t start as favourites tomorrow in Munich. In fact, they seem to believe that the team with the better chance of qualifying for the semi-final is Italy. It will be no trivial matter, especially when considering that the Red Devils have won all their games at these Euros: Three wins in the group against Russia, Denmark and Finland with seven goals scored and only one conceded, and the prestigious scalp of the reigning European champions Portugal in the quarter-finals. A victory that came at a high price, as injuries to Kevin De Bruyne and captain Eden Hazard have seen them in a race against the clock to recover in time for the quarter-final against Italy. Roberto Mancini warned that “Belgium are a great team, they have been at the top of the rankings for three years. We hope they can recover all their players because while we obviously know that they would put us in more difficulty, it would make a more beautiful game of football. For the spectators, seeing the full teams play would be the best thing”.

After beating the record of unbeaten matches, held for more than eighty years by Vittorio Pozzo's national team, Mancini wants to continue his winning streak and treat himself to a new trip to London, and Wembley in particular: “We will play our game - the coach added in his press conference – while remaining aware that we are facing the best team in Europe alongside France. It’ll be a difficult game, Belgium have extraordinary players. The team that makes fewer mistakes will win: Even one could be decisive”. The Round of 16 match against Austria was also difficult, but the Azzurri managed to overcome that obstacle, while other prestigious national teams such as France, Germany, Portugal, and the Netherlands have already returned home: “We suffered a bit more against Austria, but by the end we created 26 shots on goal. We deservedly won, and let's remember that there are no easy games, the European Championship teaches us this. I would be happy tomorrow to suffer and create 26 shots on goal. We’re happy with what we’ve done so far, and we want to advance further”.

The head coach has a clear idea about the team that will face Belgium (“Doubts about the line-up? Few. We’ll wait for tomorrow to evaluate everyone’s physical conditions”) and, while he knows that the road is getting tough now, he knows he has the means to go all the way: “We’re on the tougher side of the draw, at least on paper, but there is nothing simple and obvious at this level. We play one game at a time starting from tomorrow; we are aware of our qualities”.

Five years ago, Italy began their European Championship campaign by beating Belgium, somewhat surprisingly, with goals from Giaccherini and Pellé. The following day Bonucci and Chiellini, the only remaining 'veterans' of the starting eleven that night in Lyon, were rewarded with high scores in the newspapers’ report cards for having kept a certain Romelu Lukaku at bay. “I recovered from the injury and I'm fine - Giorgio Chiellini declared at the press conference - but Mancini has everyone available, and he will decide who will play. This group is great, the coach will have several doubts in his head. Everyone can aspire to play, anyone who steps onto the pitch will be ready for Lukaku and everyone else, without diverging from our own game. I'm sure that we'll play a great match”.

The Azzurri captain replied with a smile to those who pointed out to him that from midnight last night he and Messi are two players without a club: “We’re both left-footed, but our technique is different. I don't think about being released in the slightest. We are calm, I think Messi probably more than me”.