ENGLAND go to Naples TONIGHT looking to avenge the heartbreak of the 2020 Euro final.
The Italians were victorious on penalties and claimed the silverware at the last tournament they qualified for.
Roberto Mancini’s side have had England’s number since Gareth Southgate took the hot seat.
The two sides have met twice since the Euro 2020 final, with a draw and another Italy win in the Nations League.
The Three Lions haven’t beaten the Azzurri in a competitive game since their 1977 World Cup qualifier – that’s if you discount the 2012 Le Tournoi as “competitive”.
But Italy are in a somewhat strange position, having not even featured at last year’s World Cup in Qatar.
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Luckily for Roberto Mancini, he managed to keep his job.
The Three Lions WERE in Qatar in the winter – but were knocked out by eventual runners up France in the quarter-finals.
England boss Gareth Southgate will be hoping to see a reaction from his players after yet more big competition disappointment.
It will be an emotional night, as the game is Italy’s first since former striker and coach Gianluca Vialli died in January at the age of 58.
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Chelsea legend Vialli was 59 caps and worked as an assistant to Mancini when they won Euro 2020.
Italy will wear one-off shirts carrying a special message in honour of Vialli.
Mancini said: “It is the first time we have played a game since Luca’s passing.
“We were very fortunate to have him, me as a team-mate and to work alongside him, you were lucky enough to have him in London and he had almost become an honorary Londoner, so you saw what he was all about.
“It is with a great sadness but people like him will always be close to us, he is immortal and will stay close to us.”
So it’s a game where BOTH team really have something to prove, and SunSport previews the big one.
When is Italy vs England?
- Italy vs England will take place TONIGHT – Thursday, March 23.
- Kick off is at 7:45pm UK time
- The Diego Armando Maradona Stadium will play host.
What channel is Italy vs England on?
- Italy vs England will be shown live on Channel 4.
- Coverage starts at 7pm UK time.
- Alternatively, you can keep up to date with all the action from Naples by following SunSport’s live blog.
Can I live stream Italy vs England FREE?
- Yes, you can live stream Italy vs England for FREE via the All 4 website, providing you have a valid TV licence.
- Streaming is also available via the All 4 app which can be downloaded for free on your mobile or tablet device.
Who will be the star men?
Italy: Jorginho has been a revelation since moving from Chelsea to Arsenal in January and is set to pull the strings in Naples against England
England: You can’t look any further than Harry Kane. He will be desperate to forget all about his skied penalty that saw England tumble out of the World Cup.
What’s the latest team news?
Italy
Roberto Mancini’s squad includes some familiar names from Premier League clubs and many that featured in the Euro 2020 final against England.
Ciro Immobile and Federico Chiesa will not be available for the visit of England.
Goalkeepers: Gianluigi Donnarumma, Wladimiro Falcone, Alex Meret, Marco Carnesecchi.
Defenders: Francesco Acerbi, Leonardo Bonucci, Alessandro Buongiorno, Matteo Darmian, Giovanni Di Lorenzo, Federico Dimarco, Alessio Romagnoli, Giorgio Scalvini, Leonardo Spinazzola, Rafael Toloi.
Midfielders: Nicolò Barella, Bryan Cristante, Davide Frattesi, Jorginho, Lorenzo Pellegrini, Matteo Pessina, Sandro Tonali, Marco Verratti.
Forwards: Domenico Berardi, Federico Chiesa, Wilfried Gnonto, Vincenzo Grifo, Simone Pafundi, Matteo Politano, Mateo Retegui, Gianluca Scamacca.
England
Gareth Southgate named his 25-man squad last week for the upcoming Euro 2024 qualifiers against Italy and Ukraine.
But the Three Lions were dealt some big injury blows when Marcus Rashford, Mason Mount and Nick Pope pulled out with injury.
Tottenham keeper Fraser Forster came in for Pope, but the other two weren’t replaced.
Harry Kane is just one goal off becoming England’s record goalscorer and breaking Wayne Rooney’s record.
Goalkeepers: Jordan Pickford, Fraser Forster, Aaron Ramsdale.
Defenders: Ben Chilwell, Eric Dier, Marc Guehi, Reece James, Harry Maguire, Luke Shaw, John Stones, Kieran Trippier, Kyle Walker.
Midfielders: Jude Bellingham, Conor Gallagher, Jordan Henderson, James Maddison, Kalvin Phillips, Declan Rice.
Forwards: Phil Foden, Jack Grealish, Harry Kane, Bukayo Saka, Ivan Toney.
The most notable absentees from the squad are Ben White, Raheem Sterling (injured), Fikayo Tomori and Trent Alexander-Arnold.
While Brentford star Ivan Toney has been called up and will be hoping to claim his first England cap.
Odds
- Italy – 19/10
- Draw – 2/1
- England – 31/20
*Odds courtesy of Ladbrokes and are correct at the time of publication.
SunSport prediction
It’s tricky to know exactly how both teams will line up in the qualifying opener.
The heart says England get off to a flier and triumph, but the head thinks the Italians just seem to always get the upper hand.
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So we’re going to go for a 1-1 draw.
Source: Soccer - thesun.co.uk
