Italy starts the defense of their continental crown against England at the Stadio Diego Armando Maradona. When the Azzurri defeated the Three Lions on penalties in the Euro 2020 final, they assured that football would not return home, but Roberto Mancini’s champions have since lost their luster. Italy fans, who are still haunted by their North Macedonian nightmares, can look forward to a reunion with their World Cup playoff opponents in their Euros qualifying area, as they attempt to write another worldwide failure into history. Italy, the dominant force prior to and during the postponed Euro 2020 campaign, failed to qualify for the World Cup Finals for the second time in a row, losing to North Macedonia in the playoff semi-final to watch from home for the second time in a row, while Argentina barely broke a sweat in a 3-0 Finalissima win.
On a more positive note, Italy has a Nations League title firmly in their sights after beating England, Hungary, and Germany to the top spot in League A Group 3 – a semi-final with Spain awaits in June – and they beat Albania 3-1 before losing 2-0 to Austria in their most recent friendly match in November. While no teams have competed in a Euros qualifier since before COVID, Italy’s exceptional achievements at this stage are well-documented – the Azzurri have won each of their previous 14 qualification games and are unbeaten in 40 since falling 3-1 to France in 2006.
Additionally, it has been 24 years since the reigning continental champions last lost a Euros qualifier at home, a 3-2 defeat to Denmark in 1999, and an unforgiving Naples environment will undoubtedly play a role in the hosts’ bid to extend that amazing record. Unable to draw encouragement from watching the women’s team climb to continental glory in their Euro 2022 campaign, England suffered another quarter-final loss in Qatar, as Gareth Southgate’s golden generation saw another chance at silverware pass them by.
Few barriers were expected on the way to a first-place group ranking or a last-16 clash with Senegal, but Harry Kane’s second penalty against France is still lingering, and a slew of doubts about Southgate’s future have been raised in the aftermath of further major-tournament heartbreak. Southgate will shortly take his side into the unknown area of UEFA Nations League B following a painful relegation from the big time last year, and the glass remains half-empty for a significant section of the Three Lions supporters.
However, the Three Lions have won 17 of their last 18 Euros qualifying matches, with the exception of a 2-1 loss to the Czech Republic in October 2019, and a milestone number could be reached for Southgate, who will earn his 50th victory as England manager if the Three Lions leave Naples with all three points. Only Sir Alf Ramsey and Walter Winterbottom have previously won a half-century with England, who are winless in their last six games against Italy in all tournaments, drawing 0-0 before losing 1-0 to the Azzurri during a forgettable 2022-23 Nations League run.
Italy has already lost a couple of players due to injuries, including striker Federico Chiesa, left-back Federico Dimarco, and goalkeeper Ivan Provedel, the latter two of whom have been replaced by Emerson Palmieri and Marco Carnesecchi. Carnesecchi is one of four uncapped players called up by Mancini for the March matches, with Wladimir Falcone, Alessandro Buongiorno, and Argentina-born attacker Mateo Retegui also hoping to make their debuts for the Azzurri.
With Ciro Immobile and Giacomo Raspadori out injured, Retegui could be plunged into the deep end for his first start this week, as Mancini must choose between a 4-3-3 and a 3-5-2 formation. Similarly, three England players have left the camp ahead of Thursday’s game, with Marcus Rashford, Mason Mount, and Nick Pope all withdrawing due to injuries – Fraser Forster has been brought in to replace the latter.
Despite confessing to breaking betting rules, Brentford striker Ivan Toney has returned to the team as the sole uncapped player, but none of Ben White, Raheem Sterling, Trent Alexander-Arnold, or Callum Wilson have pushed their way in. Harry Maguire, who is still on the Old Trafford bench, should be one of Southgate’s first names on the teamsheet, while Harry Kane is just one strike away from being his country’s all-time leading striker, passing Wayne Rooney.
England vs Italy Predicted Lineups
Italy’s possible starting lineup: Donnarumma; Di Lorenzo, Acerbi, Romagnoli, Spinazzola; Barella, Verratti, Jorginho; Berardi, Retegui, Grifo
England’s possible starting lineup: Pickford; Walker, Stones, Maguire, Shaw; Henderson, Rice, Bellingham; Saka, Kane, Grealish
England vs Itay Prediction: Italy 1-1 England
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