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Spain vs Italy: Team News and Predictions
Blogs

Spain vs Italy: Team News and Predictions

19/06/24 21:21

Spain vs Italy Predictions

Spain takes on Italy in a match which will most likely decide who will win Group B of EURO 2024. The two European giants will battle it out at the Aufschalke Arena in Gelsenkirchen. Both sides have come off the back of wins on matchday one, and whoever wins this match will have both feet in the round of 16.

Luis de la Fuente’s side gave a seamless performance against a lack-lustre Croatian side to win 3-0. Getting three points against Italy would almost guarantee that Spain would go through to the round of 16 in first place.

The three time European champions have used a range of youth and experience to build a team which they hope will earn them a fourth title. With the entire side on form, particularly Lamine Yamal, the 16-year-old Barcelona starlet who stood out against the Vatreni getting an assist and causing all sorts of problems down the right flank, and Unai Simon, the goalkeeper from Athletic Bilbao who saved a penalty from Bruno Petkovic to keep a clean sheet on matchday one.

Despite heading into their matchday one fixture heavily favoured to beat Albania, the Azzurri didn’t make it easy for themselves, conceding a goal from Nedim Bajrami within 23 seconds of kick off. However their performance over the full 90 minutes proved to be more convincing and they ended up taking all three points.

Luciano Spalletti’s side will be hoping to improve on their performance in their opening game, especially if they want to secure a place in the round of 16 with one match to go. If they were to lose against La Roja, it would end a 10 game unbeaten run in the EUROs championships. Even though they aren’t one of the names tipped to win the competition, the Azzurri are still hopeful of making it far in this tournament.

TEAM NEWS

Despite Rodri and Alvaro Morata both seeming to pick up minor knocks in the match against Croatia, both have participated in full training and should be OK to start on Thursday. Aymeric Laporte could be fit enough to participate from the bench in this fixture after missing out on matchday one with an injury.

You would expect de la Fuente to put out a similar side to the one on Saturday given how impressive their performance was.

No fresh injuries have been announced by Spalletti, but with the Azzurri not living up to their full potential on Saturday, we could see a couple of changes to their starting lineup. Genoa’s Mateo Retegui could come in to replace Gianluca Scamacca who seemed to be rather ineffective in front of goal.

PREVIOUS RESULTS

The two sides have faced each other 15 times in all competitions, with Spain winning on six occasions, Italy winning five times and four ending in a draw. The most recent clash being the Nations League Semi-Final in 2023 which Spain won 2-1 after Joselu scored a late winner in the 88th minute.

PREDICTION

Spain 3-2 Italy

While Italy didn’t exactly show their free-flowing attacking skills in their match against Albania, they have scored 12 goals in their last seven games. The calamity of this game would suggest that both teams will put everything on the line to make sure they have a confirmed place in the Round of 16, which means goals. With both teams pushing for the win you would expect the game to become very open very quickly and therefore I think there will be a few goals for both sides, but ultimately, I think the quality that Spain have will help them to take the three points and finish top of their group.

Benji Kosartiyer
Journalist
Lily Perrill

Writer

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