This Thursday evening at the King Baudouin stadium, Belgium has a meeting with Italy for its last home match in the Nations League.
A match that the Red Devils absolutely must win if they want to maintain a chance of reaching the quarter-finals of the competition and not compete in the playdowns and risk relegation to League B.
Some absences
Opposite, the Squadra Azzurra will not, however, give any gifts, which could precisely see Belgium go ahead of them at the end of the two group stage matches that remain to be played.
And if Domenico Tedesco has to face a significant series of absences, Luciano Spalletti will also lose some players. Compared to October, Calafiori and Ricci are both absent. Thus, Buongiorno should take his place in the center of the Italian defense. Bastoni should play on the left and Di Lorenzo on the right of a three-way defense.
No revolution
At the center of the game, we should find Rovella, with Frattesi and Tonali at his side. On the flanks, Cambiaso and Dimarco are expected while Barella should play just behind Retegui in attack.
For Italy, no revolution compared to the first leg but some adjustments mainly due to the various absences. Spalletti will therefore not want to adapt too much to the team that he finds in front of him and in which Roemlu Lukaku will be present, which was not the case last month when the two teams shared the stake.
ITALY’S LIKELY XI
Donnarumma – Di Lorenzo, Buongiorno, Bastoni – Cambiaso, Frattesi, Rovella, Tonali, Dimarco – Barella, Retegui