Alessandro Bastoni is making his presence felt in Italy’s resurgence, scoring for the second consecutive match as the Azzurri held France to a 1–1 draw at the Stade de France.
After finding the net in the 4–1 victory over Türkiye, the Inter defender delivered again in Paris. With Italy trailing to Michael Olise’s free kick, Bastoni capitalized on a mistake in the French defence, winning possession and driving forward to beat Mike Maignan in the 68th minute.
His recent performances carry particular significance following his dismissal in Italy’s World Cup play-off defeat to Bosnia and Herzegovina. Returning to the national team under Roberto Mancini, Bastoni has responded with two goals in two appearances, helping Italy recover from its opening Nations League defeat to Belgium.
Already established as one of Italy’s most technically accomplished defenders, Bastoni is now making decisive contributions at the other end of the pitch. His response to a difficult period has been an important part of Italy’s improvement during this international window.
