ROME • Italy manager Roberto Mancini expects a physical Northern Ireland side to provide the toughest challenge of the three World Cup qualifying games his side are facing during a busy international break.

The Azzurri, who are on a 22-match unbeaten run under Mancini, welcome Ian Baraclough's side to Parma tomorrow for their opening 2022 World Cup qualifier.

"The first match is the most difficult. It's our first game in five months, and it's against a difficult side to face," Mancini said on Monday, as he prepares to take on a side who have Leicester City defender Jonny Evans, Leeds' Stuart Dallas and Newcastle United left-back Jamal Lewis.

"They're strong physically and have many players who play in the Premier League. We know that you can't get it wrong on the road to the World Cup."

Italy then travel to Bulgaria and Lithuania but uncertainty remains over whether the Inter Milan players Mancini has called up will be available.

Nicolo Barella, Stefano Sensi and Alessandro Bastoni were named in Mancini's squad for the international window, but a clutch of positive Covid-19 tests in the Inter squad led to the postponement of their Serie A match against Sassuolo on Saturday and the local health authority banned players from joining up with their national teams.

Baraclough is also expecting a difficult test, having tipped Italy to reach at least the semi-finals of this year's European Championship, a tournament his side will not be involved in.

Northern Ireland qualified for the last Euro but missing the June 11 to July 11 event will motivate them to make another major tournament appearance.

REUTERS