Former Inter and current Italian national team manager Roberto Mancini is convinced that Inter, Napoli and Juventus will progress to the knockout stages of the Champions League and is predicting Atalanta will have a difficult time in their first ever involvement in the tournament.
“The Champions League is a complicated competition, Gian Piero Gasperini’s team is in its first year and will be struggling a little, but the other three will have no problems when it comes to qualifying for the next round,” he said in an interview with Il Mattino.
Napoli were 2-0 victors over Champions League holders Liverpool, Juventus drew 2-2 with Atletico Madrid, Atalanta lost 4-0 to Dinamo Zagreb whilst Inter stumbled to a 1-1 draw against Slavia Prague.
Mancini, who managed Inter for six years over two different spells, proceeded to discuss Inter’s disappointing performance in their opening day match.
“Inter’s draw with Slavia Prague? It shows that the Champions League is different from the league.”