Which team will bounce back from its opening-game loss?
The desire for a turnaround is clearly evident in our Turkey vs. Italy tip. On Matchday 2 of Nations League A Group 1, the Squadra Azzurra visits the Ay-Yildizlilar. Both teams lost their opening matches. Turkey suffered a late defeat against France (0–1). Italy also lost to Belgium (0–2) without scoring a goal of their own.
However, we tend to view the mood in the Turkish camp as somewhat more positive. Vincenzo Montella and his team held their own against the Equipe Tricolore for a long time, forcing Kylian Mbappé and company to work hard in a game that looked more like a grind than a display of brilliance.
The perception surrounding the Italian national team is quite different. More than just a result, the 0–2 loss to Belgium reflected the overall mood. Roberto Mancini is back. The coach who led Italy to the European Championship title in 2021 is tasked with getting the Azzurri back on track after missing out on the World Cup for the third consecutive time.
But his return began with boos at the Olimpico, a weak first half, many old wounds, and a loss that showed once again: Italy isn’t just looking for form. The four-time World Cup champion is looking for confidence. The bookmakers also reflect this lack of confidence in the visitors in their Turkey vs. Italy betting odds.
The 0–1 loss to France was not a moral victory for the Turkish national team. Results in Nations League A matter too much for that. But it wasn’t a performance that should unsettle Montella either. France had 64 percent possession. Nevertheless, the shot counts were even at 12–12, and the xG values were nearly identical.
For a long time, the Ay-Yildizlilar defended compactly. After the break, they got into the game better, but were unable to find the back of the net. This problem has plagued the home team quite frequently in the recent past. Given that Italy is struggling, we’re betting on a low-scoring match.
Turkey – Italy Head-to-Head Record
To date, the Turkish national team has yet to record a single victory against Italy. Roberto Mancini’s personal record against the Crescent and Stars is actually perfect (2 games, 2 wins). Overall, the two-time European champions comfortably lead the head-to-head record with nine wins and four draws.
However, the Turkish team has come close to its first victory in recent matches. Three of the five previous encounters ended in draws and featured fewer than three goals each.
Turkey vs. Italy Prediction
The Turkish team still lacks the ability to convert territorial pressure into goals. Their run in the 2026 World Cup ended somewhat surprisingly in the group stage.
After two consecutive shutout losses, they had no chance of advancing even before the final matchday of the group stage.
Including the loss to France (0–1), Montella’s squad failed to score in three of their last four competitive matches. That’s precisely why the matchup against Italy will be exciting. Against Roberto Mancini’s team, the Ay-Yildizlilar could once again enjoy more possession than they did against France.
The Squadra Azzura wasn’t completely out of the running against Belgium (0–2). But it took a captain in top form between the posts to keep them from falling behind by an even wider margin too early on. The first half was so weak that while Mancini’s remark about a better second half is true, it isn’t enough.
Opportunities arose mainly toward the end of the game. However, the Italian team never really gave the impression of being in control. That makes us all the more eager to see two national teams on Matchday 2 that are striving for structure and rhythm—sometimes at the expense of finishing chances.
