Bastoni confident Italy can take on anyone after France draw

Syndicated reporting provided by Stats Perform and reviewed by the SoccerNews editorial team.

Alessandro Bastoni believes Italy “can do it against anyone” after holding France to a draw in the Nations League.

Italy drew 1-1 with Zinedine Zidane’s side at the Stade de France on Friday, with Bastoni cancelling out Michael Olise’s stunning opener.

After also netting against Turkiye, Bastoni is only the third centre-back to score in two consecutive appearances for Italy in the last 10 years, after Gianluca Mancini (October-November 2025) and Alessio Romagnoli (October-November 2019).

Gianluigi Donnarumma also played a huge role in the draw, making seven saves, including an impressive double save to keep out Desire Doue and Ousmane Dembele in quick succession.

Only twice has Donnarumma made more saves in a single game for the Azzurri: 10 against Bosnia-Herzegovina in March 2026 and eight against Spain in June 2024.

“It was a tough game, we knew it would be, it’s hardly news, but I am so happy with the team performance,” Bastoni told RAI Sport.

“We fought hard, we suffered, we even ruined some of France’s objectives for tonight, as they were prepared for a big celebration. We knew we weren’t coming here for a walk in the park, and that’s how it was.

“It’s certainly pleasing to score again, but the moment it was done, I thought we had to make sure we didn’t concede another, otherwise it was all points. This is a good result that boosts our confidence going forward.

“It’s a strong signal, because if we can put in a performance like this against France in Paris, then we can do it against anyone.”

— Italy  (@Azzurri_En) October 2, 2026

Italy won the expected goals (xG) 1.46 to 1.21, with both Moise Kean and Davide Frattesi squandering good opportunities in the first half.

Nevertheless, head coach Roberto Mancini agreed with Bastoni’s sentiment, as he told RAI Sport: “We knew it would be a very difficult match, especially at the start, but we did well to allow them very little in terms of chances, even if they had more possession.

“We played as a team, attacking and defending together, and so it is certainly a very positive evening for us.

“I wanted this to be another step forward in our journey. I liked that we tried to play football, despite being against an extraordinary France side full of champions.”

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