Mancini warns Kean after red card in Italy Under-21 game

Italy boss Roberto Mancini has told Moise Kean to “be more careful” after the striker was sent off in a European Under-21 Championship qualifier.

Kean was dismissed for pushing Republic of Ireland striker Troy Parrott in the chest. Tottenham player Parrott also saw red following the clash.

It is not the first disciplinary issue Kean has faced this year, the 19-year-old having been left out at this year’s European Under-21 Championship finals by coach Luigi Di Biagio after repeated breaches of team rules.

Kean was then omitted from Mancini’s senior Italy squad for this international break having struggled to make an impact in the Premier League for Everton, the club he joined from Juventus in August.

“I’m sorry for yesterday’s expulsion,” Mancini told reporters on Friday. “He was also unlucky. But he is always involved, he must be more careful.”

#ItalyGreece 

Final training session this afternoon at the Olimpico. #Tonali called up to the squad.

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Roberto #Mancini‘s press conference will start at 17:00 CEST. #VivoAzzurro pic.twitter.com/pdT3EZIKbp

— Italy (@azzurri) October 11, 2019

Brescia teenager Sandro Tonali played in the same team as Kean in Dublin on Thursday, and the midfielder, uncapped at senior level, has been brought into Mancini’s squad for Saturday’s home game against Greece.

The Azzurri are closing in on qualification for Euro 2020 having recorded a perfect six wins out of six games in Group J, and while victory against John van ‘t Schip’s side would be enough to secure a place at the finals, Mancini is taking nothing for granted.

“We have to think about qualifying, this match will not be easy,” Mancini added. “I don’t know how they will play, but we always want to have our footprint and we want to win.

“Qualification is certainly not a sure thing, we have a serious opponent tomorrow night, who we must beat.

“Now comes the Euros as it’s the first competition we’ll have to face. Then, certainly, we’ll turn our attentions to the [2022] World Cup in Qatar.”