Italy vs England: Head to head statistics
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Match preview
Euro 2024 qualifying kicks off with a repeat of the most-recent European Championships Final.
Just 620 days ago, Italy beat England on penalties at Wembley, thereby lifting this trophy for the first time in 53 years.
Now, both begin their latest qualifying campaign hoping that, in 481 days time, they’ll be crowned champions of Europe in Berlin.
Since that success at Wembley, Gli Azzurri have missed out on a second successive World Cup, ignominiously ousted by North Macedonia in the play-offs almost exactly a year ago.
Despite that, they’ve shown faith in Roberto Mancini, who’s already proved his worth, guiding Italy to this summer’s Nations League Finals.
To get there, they topped a group that also featured England, drawing 0-0 when the two met at Molineux, before a 1-0 win at San Siro in September.
England meantime were last seen in Qatar being beaten by France in the World Cup quarter-finals.
Since then, the headline news is that Gareth Southgate is staying on as manager, seeking to end 58 years of hurt next summer.
The Three Lions haven’t missed a tournament since 2008, losing just two of 66 qualifiers since that defeat to Croatia in the pouring rain under Steve McClaren.
This though will be a key double-header for England, who welcome Ukraine to Wembley on Sunday.
Will either side start with a win at Stadio Diego Armando Maradona?
Italy team news
It was confirmed on Wednesday that captain Leonardo Bonucci will miss this game due to a minor injury.
With Giorgio Chiellini having retired from international football, a new-look centre-back partnership of Francesco Acerbi and Alessio Romagnoli will be on display.
Gianluigi Donnarumma was, of course, the hero of that Euro 2020 final; he’ll win his 50th cap in goal, having started 31 successive competitive internationals.
Roberto Mancini is short of centre-forward options right now, given that Ciro Immobile and Andrea Belotti are both injured.
So Mateo Retegui, of Argentine club Tigre, has been called-up; he’s only eligible through his maternal Italian grandfather.
Given that he’s unlikely to be thrown in, although you never know, West Ham’s Gianluca Scamacca could lead the line, with Wilfried Gnonto of Leeds also in the XI.
Predicted XI (4-3-3): Donnarumma; Di Lorenzo, Romagnoli, Acerbi, Spinazzola; Jorginho, Verratti, Barella; Politano, Gnonto, Scamacca.
England team news
Gareth Southgate’s team make the trip to Naples without in-form Marcus Rashford as well as Nick Pope, Trent Alexander-Arnold, Mason Mount and Raheem Sterling.
So, assuming it’s a back four, Jack Grealish is likely to complete a front three that’ll also feature captain Harry Kane and Bukayo Saka.
Kane needs just one goal to become England’s record goal-scorer of all-time, thereby reaching 54 a whopping 39 appearances quicker than Wayne Rooney.
Elsewhere, Jude Bellingham has made himself undroppable in midfield having shone in Qatar.
Despite Aaron Ramsdale’s impressive club form, Jordan Pickford is likely to keep his place in goal.
Centre-back is the most interesting position, with Harry Maguire likely to start, despite his lack of action for Manchester United.
Ivan Toney will be hoping for his senior England debut, after not getting off the bench in either of September’s Nations League fixtures.
Predicted XI (4-3-3): Pickford; Walker, Maguire, Stones, Shaw; Rice, Henderson, Bellingham; Saka, Grealish, Kane.
