Roberto Mancini’s Gabriel Batistuta comparison is really bad news for West Ham star Gianluca Scamacca and his Italy hopes.
It has been a case of ‘will he, won’t he start’ for Gianluca Scamacca of late – and not only under David Moyes at West Ham but with Roberto Mancini and Italy too.
Scamacca’s debut season with West Ham has not worked out for him or the club thus far.
He has been an unused substitute in West Ham’s last four Premier League games.
And Hammers boss Moyes has publicly criticised the striker’s output in training leading to rumours of a falling out between the pair and suggestions the player is a bad apple – something the Scot flatly denied last week.
Scamacca did start – and score – in the easy win over Larnaca in the Europa Conference League last Thursday night.
But he was substituted after just 55 minutes sparking further criticism of Moyes, who had to defend his decision after the game.
Last week Azzurri boss Mancini sent a clear message to Moyes over the Scamacca situation.
He told the Scot the striker cannot improve if he doesn’t play.
Scamacca was billed as the future of the national side by Mancini when he arrived at West Ham from Sassuolo for £35m in the summer.
He started when Italy played England earlier this season. But reports have abound this week that he will lose his place as hype builds around new kid on the block Mateo Retegui.
Some media outlets had counter claimed Scamacca will start against the Three Lions.
But Mancini’s Gabriel Batistuta comparison is really bad news for West Ham star Scamacca.
Argentina legend Batistuta is one of the best strikers of all time and made his name in Italy with Fiorentina and Roma.
So with the speculation that Mateo Retegui is set to take Scamacca’s place up front for the national side, it does not bode well for for the West Ham man that Mancini has compared him to the great Bati-Gol.
“If I have to name names (who Retegui reminds me of), I’ll say Batistuta,” Mancini told Sky Italia.
“But he’s very young, he arrived in Italy suddenly and is therefore, calm. He needs time but he has quality. He is smart and polite. Let’s hope for the best.”
Probable line-ups for Thursday night’s big qualifier between Italy and England from the likes of Football Italia also predict Scamacca will be benched in favour of Retegui.