EURO 2020 winners Italy have a chance to go down in history on Sunday with the team needing to post just one more unbeaten game to record the longest unbeaten run ever in international football.
The Italians face Switzerland whom they beat at the Euros 3-0. Bookmaker 10Bet has the odds at 3.40 for Roberto Mancini’s men to win again without conceding a goal while the odds are at 6.25 for the Swiss to triumph without giving up a single goal.
※ Current Odds Date & Time: September 4th, 1:00 P.M. (EST)
Italy are currently tied for the world record with Brazil who went unbeaten for 35 matches from 1993 to 1996 and Spain whose golden generation managed a 35-game unbeaten streak from 2007 to 2009.
The Azzurri started their run in 2018 posting 26 wins and nine draws. The streak also includes an incredible 24 clean sheets, and the team has failed to score just twice during the stretch.
Taking down Italy has looked like mission impossible for a while but their defensive record has dipped since the knockout stages at the Euros and it does seem like it’s only a matter of time before their streak ends. Portugal were the last team to beat Italy in September 2018 picking up a 1-0 victory at home in the UEFA Nations League.
Switzerland have started a new era after EURO 2020 with Murat Yakin replacing Vladimir Petkovic as manager. The former center back made a winning start on Wednesday as goals from Steven Zuber and Ruben Vargas secured a 2-1 home win against Greece.
Yakin was forced to face a big challenge straight away with a number of players, including standout names Granit Xhaka and Xherdan Shaqiri, unavailable for the current international window.
The 46-year-old had a big reputation as a player, but the Swiss fans weren’t too happy with his appointment as manager and the expectations are high after Petkovic’s successful seven-year spell in charge of the team.
Beating Italy would massively boost Yakin’s managerial stock. The Swiss last won against their neighbors in 1993 and they have celebrated only eight victories over Italy in the previous 59 meetings.
History is strongly against Switzerland in the fixture, but they have never lost a qualifying game at home in the matchup drawing four times and winning once. Their overall home record in the World Cup qualifiers is very strong as well with the last defeat coming in 2008.
