Belgium vs Italy: Team news, preview & predictions

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It’s a clash of the titans at Euro 2020, as the Red Devils and the Azzurri collide in Munich

Belgium and Italy meet in the second of Friday’s two quarter-finals, as two of the tournament favourites compete for a place in the final four.

The Red Devils will be riding high after eliminating Portugal, but they must now test themselves against an Italian side who were installed as the bookies’ favourites after a flawless group-stage campaign.

Italy didn’t have it all their own way against Austria in the Round of 16, however, and the tie was taken to extra time, but will they have enough to overcome a Belgium side who have had to make do with several injury concerns throughout the competition?

Kevin De Bruyne and Eden Hazard were both replaced with injury against Portugal, although their problems weren’t as severe as first feared, and the pair remain in contention.

However, considering De Bruyne is nursing an ankle sprain and Hazard has a muscle problem, it remains to be seen if they will be used from the off.

Fourth-choice goalkeeper Thomas Kaminski has been drafted into the squad as a replacement for Simon Mignolet, while Timothy Castagne remains absent with a facial injury.

Italy may have a nervous wait to see whether Giorgio Chiellini can make his comeback from a thigh injury, while Alessandro Florenzi is also a doubt. Giovanni Di Lorenzo is likely to continue to deputise for Florenzi on the right.

The likes of Matteo Pessina, Federico Chiesa and Manuel Locatelli can all be hopeful of forcing their way into the first team on the back of recent performances.

Italy and Belgium have met on four previous occasions at major tournaments—as recently as 2016—but never before in a knockout game.

Unfortunately for the Red Devils, they have a poor record against their opponents on Friday, and have never defeated Italy in a major-tournament setting.

It’s a hoodoo that Italy will look to extend, with Belgium having never played five times against a single opponent in a competition without taking a single win.

Roberto Martinez’s side are in terrific form, however, having won seven of their last eight games at the Euros—the only exception being the 3-1 defeat by Wales five years ago.

They’ll have their work cut out against a fearsome Italian defence that has conceded just 13 goals in their last 18 games, registering eight clean sheets in the process.

Four of those goals conceded came in the 2012 final against Spain.

While Belgium have the bigger name players, it remains to be seen how many of them will get on the pitch, and who will be in a fit state to undo this miserly Italian defence.

De Bruyne and Hazard are concerns, although in Romelu Lukaku, Belgium have a bona fide match-winner, while their back three—likely experienced trio Toby Alderweireld, Jan Vertonghen and Thomas Vermaelen—have the nous and guile to neutralise the Italians.

Don’t be surprised if Martinez gets another one over on his old nemesis Roberto Mancini, as he did in Wigan Athletic’s 2013 FA Cup final victory over Manchester City.

Prediction: Belgium 1-0 Italy

2021-07-02 10:00:03

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