Champions Italy paired with beaten 2022 finalist England in Euro 2024 qualifying draw
Group C is the toughest group of paper after the draw was made from Frankfurt on Sunday given the appearance of the two finalists and two sides that made the World Cup playoff stage in recent months.
"I was sure we would end up getting either England or France, but that's fine," Mancini said. "It's a workable group. There won't be any simple games but they are all still to be played."
Elsewhere, the Netherlands and France will do battle in Group B where they will also face Republic of Ireland, Greece and Gibraltar.
Euro 2012 winners Spain landed a tricky group with trips to Erling Haaland's Norway and to Scotland potential stumbling blocks.
Qualifying matches for the 2024 tournament - to be hosted in Germany - will start in March with 10 matchdays. A playoff round will follow a year later before the showpiece event in June-July 2024. The final will be played in Berlin on July 14th 2024.
The winners of each group as well as the runners-up will automatically qualify for the 24-team tournament, whilst the playoffs will be decided from performances in the Nations League.
Hosts Germany were not involved in the draw as they have an automatic spot in the tournament.
EURO 2024 DRAW
Group A: Spain, Scotland, Norway, Georgia, Cyprus
Group B: Netherlands, France, Republic of Ireland, Greece, Gibraltar
Group C: Italy, England, Ukraine, North Macedonia, Malta
Group D: Croatia, Wales, Armenia, Turkey, Latvia
Group E: Poland, Czech Republic, Albania, Faroe Islands, Moldova
Group F: Belgium, Austria, Sweden, Azerbaijan, Estonia
Group G: Hungary, Serbia, Montenegro, Bulgaria, Lithuania
Group H: Denmark, Finland, Slovenia, Kazakhstan, Northern Ireland, San Marino
Group I: Switzerland, Israel, Romania, Kosovo, Belarus, Andorra
Group J: Portugal, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Iceland, Luxembourg, Slovakia, Liechtenstein