Montella risks being sacked after three defeats in the Nations League

Having brought the national team back to the World Cup after 24 years is no longer enough. Vincenzo Montella, who escaped dismissal after a less than brilliant passage to the world championship tournament in the USA, is now at great risk: three matches and as many defeats in the Nations League are starting to weigh heavily on the present of the Turkey coach, now much less loved by the fans, who are in fact calling for his resignation. After the defeats against France, Italy and Belgium, the Mezza Luna national team is expected to play the second match against the Azzurri on Monday in Bologna. The absences of the big names Calhanoglu, Yildiz and Kokçü are heavy and against Italy there won't even be the suspended Arda Guler and Baris Yilmaz: a not too comforting picture for the former low-flying airplane who reiterates that he doesn't want to keep up with the criticism.

Which, however, are many: the defeat against Belgium (de Bruyne's brace and Lukaku's goal) effectively put the coach on the gridiron, even accused of "making the players' mothers cry" and for this reason invited to stay directly in Italy after the match in Bologna. In short, the fans' distrust is now blatant, and even the Turkish press is anything but kind towards the Neapolitan coach. "I think it is better for you to say goodbye on good terms, without damaging yourself further - write the media -. After the fiasco of the World Cup, a coach who starts the Nations League with zero wins in three matches would not remain in his position anywhere else in the world, except here". "Patience is over, pay him his severance pay and send him away" is the request that also comes from insiders.

Montella tries to defend himself: "I can't say anything against our players, they fought until the end. But if you make a mistake at this level they don't forgive you. We feel very sorry for the fans. We take to the pitch with all our heart. No one is to blame. I also fight with all my heart on the pitch. Our team is united but we have some gaps that are very evident.

But I don't want to give too much importance to the criticism right now." However, the numbers are all against the coach: with one goal scored and eight conceded, the match with Italy in Bologna becomes a last resort for the coach. A defeat against the Azzurri, completely revived after the good performance against France, would sanction the relegation of Turkey and the exit of Montella for whom Erdogan's country had also built golden bridges, and a contract worth around two million euros.