On Thursday, the Diego Armando Maradona Stadium will host a EURO Qualifier between Italy and England. This matchup holds significance as the Azzurri and the Three Lions famously met in the Euro 2020 final, with Italy securing the victory in a penalty shootout. The two teams were also in the same Nations League group, making this their fourth encounter in the last two years. Italy, having missed out on Qatar qualification, seeks redemption against their familiar rivals, England.
The upcoming game marks the first match for England since their elimination by France in the World Cup quarter-finals. Manager Gareth Southgate continues in his role with the goal of leading the team to their fourth major tournament during his tenure.
The match kicks off on Thursday, 23-03-2023, at 7:45 pm (GMT) or on Friday, 24-03-2023, at 1:15 am (IST). Italy's recent form includes wins and losses, whereas England has won, drawn, and lost.
Federico Chiesa is a player to watch for Italy, as he performed exceptionally well against England in the Euro 2020 final and seeks to replicate that performance. On the other hand, Harry Kane is a player to watch for England, as he wants to move on from his skied penalty that resulted in England's elimination from the World Cup against France in the quarter-finals.
Injury withdrawals from Marcus Rashford, Mason Mount, and Nick Pope marred Gareth Southgate's 25-man squad selection for the Euro 2024 qualifiers against Italy and Ukraine. Brentford's Ivan Toney has been added to the squad and will be vying for his debut England cap.
Italy has won 13 out of the 30 matches between the two teams, while England has won 8, and 9 have ended in a draw. Four of the last five meetings between these teams have finished level after 90 minutes. Gareth Southgate has only lost one of his 27 major tournament qualifiers.
Both teams have included several players from their Euro 2020 final squad, and recognizable names from Premier League clubs have also been selected. Roberto Mancini's predicted lineup is a 3-5-2 formation, while Gareth Southgate's predicted lineup is a 4-3-3 formation.
Predicted Italy - England
55 - 45 for Italy