Italy and England are set for yet another battle as the UEFA EURO 2024 qualifiers begin on Thursday. The Three Lions have struggled in the match-up and will hope to end a six-game run without a win in the head-to-head meetings.
Bookmaker William Hill expects a cagey affair, offering odds at 1.60 for under 2.5 goals. The odds are at 2.25 for over 2.5 goals and at 2.75 for under 1.5 goals.
※ Current Odds Date & Time: March 21st, 8:00 P.M. (EST)
England last beat the Azzurri in 2012 and the long streak without a win of course includes a loss in the EURO 2020 final. The two also clashed in the last Nations League edition and England failed to score across two meetings, drawing 0-0 at home and losing 0-1 in Milan.
Can Gareth Southgate now figure out a game plan to take down the European champions? He will look to get a big reaction from his team after England’s World Cup disappointment and a lackluster Nations League qualifying campaign.
It could be a historic start to the qualifiers for England as Harry Kane needs just one more goal to become the outright top scorer in the country’s history. He has a spectacular record with 53 goals in 80 games, but like his teammates, the Tottenham star has also struggled to make an impact against Italy.
The Italians once again missed the World Cup, but they remain one of the top footballing nations in the world and have further proved their quality by qualifying for this year’s Nations League finals.
Following the team’s failure to get to Qatar, manager Roberto Mancini found himself under huge pressure. But he did a good job by getting the team into the final four in the Nations League and his record remains very impressive. In 57 games with Italy, Mancini has taken only seven losses, steering the team to 35 wins. On home turf, Italy has suffered only two losses with Mancini since he took the helm in 2018.
England has a lot more star power, but Italy could have hungrier players on the pitch. Mancini has never been afraid to test out new players and there are even a couple of teenagers in his selection, including Leeds man Wilfried Gnonto. The 19-year-old has already proven himself as a quality player in the Premier League and meeting the England side will definitely be a special occasion for him.
