Before meeting North Macedonia at the end of March then, in the event of victory, Portugal or Turkey, the technician azzurro brings together until Friday 35 players for a mobilization course.

The opportunity to engage in a broad review of the workforce in attack, weak link of the European champions who are deprived until the end of the season of the will-o'-the-wisp Federico Chiesa.

- Motionless finally in Lazio mode?

Ciro Immobile remains the N.1 at the center forward position, as he was during the Euro.

But he owes it first to his impeccable statistics with Lazio: 17 goals in 19 matches for the co-top scorer in Serie A.

With the Nazionale (15 goals in 54 selections), he is often more borrowed and unlucky.

He has not scored since the first round of the Euro, and his absence through injury weighed heavily in November, when his selection missed the opportunity to qualify directly for Qatar (November 21-December 18).

The Roman must now justify his status with Italy, of which he has been the holder since this summer, after having been put in competition for a whole season with Andrea Belotti.

The latter, often injured, seems distanced.

- The Sassuolo trio?

Sassuolo has a trio of attackers in great shape at Mancini's disposal: Domenico Berardi (27 years old, 23 caps, 6 goals), who shone at the Euro, and the young Giacomo Raspadori (21 years old, 7 caps, 1 goal ) and Gianluca Scamacca (23 years old, 2 caps).

Since the last international break in November, they have shone, authors between them of 18 of the 22 goals of the Neroverdi, eleventh in Serie A.

Italian player Domenico Berardi (in blue) during the match between Italy and Northern Ireland played in Parma on March 25, 2021 as part of the qualifications for the Football World Cup Marco BERTORELLO AFP / Archives

Berardi, after having struggled to leave with Sassuolo after the Euro, has the arguments to occupy the orphaned right lane of Chiesa.

Mancini could be tempted to associate him - at least during the match - with his partners to take advantage of well-established automatisms.

- Kean or Zaniolo time?

After a year and a half almost without competition due to two serious knee injuries, Roma winger Nicolo Zaniolo resumed last summer and is gradually regaining his level.

José Mourinho uses his striking qualities on the right wing but also regularly as a second supporting striker.

With Italy (8 caps, 2 goals), the 22-year-old striker only played half an hour in September but is applying for the play-offs.

The time has come to shine for the hope launched at just 19 years old by Mancini, in March 2019.

Expectations are no less high around Moise Kean, no longer quite a beginner in the selection (12 caps, 4 goals) despite his 21 years.

But the ex-Parisian is disappointing at Juventus (3 goals in 17 matches).

Lacking confidence, he was not called for this January internship by Mancini, who does not seem to be counting on him for March.

- A "Balo" or Joao Pedro bet?

The return of Mario Balotelli, 31 (14 goals, 36 caps), is the big surprise in the guest list for the three-day camp at the Coverciano national center.

"Super Mario" has not worn the Azzurro jersey for more than three years and seemed lost for the cause, after half a season at Monza (in Serie B) then a departure in Turkey, at Adana Demirspor.

"The technique is not forgotten, it's like punches for a boxer. Mario hits like few others, in December he scored from thirty meters", assured in the Gazzetta dello Sport his trainer in Turkey , the Italian Vincenzo Montella.

By recalling "Balo", Roberto Mancini shows above all that the doors remain open to everyone.

Including players who probably did not hope one day to have a chance to wear the jersey of Italy, like the center forward of Cagliari Joao Pedro, born in Brazil 29 years ago.

Naturalized according to the rules of Fifa, he is also one of those who have three days to seduce Mancini.

© 2022 AFP