Italy coach Roberto Mancini has called on the coaches of Serie A squads to give younger players more playing time as he embarks on a program to relaunch the Azzurri after they missed the 2018 World Cup.

"There have never been fewer Italians playing the game," Mancini told a press conference on Monday. "This is a low point." Mancini has called up 31 players for his Nations League squad for games with Poland on Friday and Portugal on Monday. But Mancini bemoaned the fact some of his squad are wasting their talents by sitting on the bench.