Italy coach Roberto Mancini admits missing the World Cup remains difficult to accept.

The Azzurri will meet Albania in a friendly on Thursday night.

Former Inter Milan coach Mancini said, "I've been experiencing it quite badly since March. We deserved to go, but unfortunately we missed our chances.

“Football is also this, after a great satisfaction came a great disappointment and now we cannot do anything. A World Cup without Italy is different, we have to work in the right way to make sure it doesn't happen again."

On the decision to face Albania, he added: “Because it's the basis of sport. We came to play a good game and we know they're not that weak. We hope to play a good game and then we'll see how it goes."