Italy Coach Hails 'Important Win' in Euro 2020 Opener

Soccer Football - Euro 2020 - Group A - Turkey v Italy - Rome, Italy - June 11, 2021 Italy fans celebrate after Italy's Ciro Immobile scored their second goal REUTERS/Guglielmo Mangiapane
Soccer Football - Euro 2020 - Group A - Turkey v Italy - Rome, Italy - June 11, 2021 Italy fans celebrate after Italy's Ciro Immobile scored their second goal REUTERS/Guglielmo Mangiapane
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Italy Coach Hails 'Important Win' in Euro 2020 Opener

Soccer Football - Euro 2020 - Group A - Turkey v Italy - Rome, Italy - June 11, 2021 Italy fans celebrate after Italy's Ciro Immobile scored their second goal REUTERS/Guglielmo Mangiapane
Soccer Football - Euro 2020 - Group A - Turkey v Italy - Rome, Italy - June 11, 2021 Italy fans celebrate after Italy's Ciro Immobile scored their second goal REUTERS/Guglielmo Mangiapane

Roberto Mancini hailed Italy's 3-0 Euro 2020 opening victory over Turkey as "an important win" but warned there is still a long way to go until a possible Wembley final.

"It was important to start well in Rome and I think it's a satisfaction for the public and for Italians," said Mancini of the match played at a Stadio Olimpico that was filled to a quarter of its capacity.

"It was a beautiful evening, I hope there are many others, but there are still six more for Wembley."

Italy failed to qualify for the 2018 World Cup but are now on a 28-match unbeaten run under Mancini.

"We played a good match, even in the first half without being able to score. A great team. There was a lot of help from the crowd."



Peace with Sinner: Tennis Fan Pope Leo XIV Meets with Top-Ranked Player During Italian Open Off-Day 

Jannik Sinner of Italy gestures as he plays against Francisco Cerundolo of Argentina their men’s singles round of 16 match at the Italian Open tennis tournament in Rome, Italy, 13 May 2025. (EPA)
Jannik Sinner of Italy gestures as he plays against Francisco Cerundolo of Argentina their men’s singles round of 16 match at the Italian Open tennis tournament in Rome, Italy, 13 May 2025. (EPA)
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Peace with Sinner: Tennis Fan Pope Leo XIV Meets with Top-Ranked Player During Italian Open Off-Day 

Jannik Sinner of Italy gestures as he plays against Francisco Cerundolo of Argentina their men’s singles round of 16 match at the Italian Open tennis tournament in Rome, Italy, 13 May 2025. (EPA)
Jannik Sinner of Italy gestures as he plays against Francisco Cerundolo of Argentina their men’s singles round of 16 match at the Italian Open tennis tournament in Rome, Italy, 13 May 2025. (EPA)

Pope Leo XIV has apparently made peace with Jannik Sinner.

The top-ranked tennis player visited the new pope on Wednesday, gave him a tennis racket and offered to play, during an off day for Sinner at the Italian Open, the Vatican said.

Leo, the first American pope, is an avid tennis player and fan and had said earlier this week that he would be up for a charity match when it was suggested by a journalist. But at the time, Leo joked “but we can’t invite Sinner,” an apparent reference to the English meaning of Sinner’s last name.

Sinner said it was “a good thing for us tennis players” that the new pope likes to play the sport.

The top-ranked player has a quarterfinal match on Thursday in his first tournament back after a three-month ban for doping that was judged to be an accidental contamination.

Sinner will next face either freshly crowned Madrid champion Casper Ruud or Jaume Munar. Sinner is attempting to become the first Italian man to win the Rome title since Adriano Panatta in 1976.