England travel to Italy tonight to kick off their qualifying campaign for Euro 2024 against the current European champions. The Three Lions take on the Azzurri once more after a 1-0 defeat in the Nations League back in September saw Gareth Southgate’s men relegated to League B.
England have failed to beat Italy in the previous six meetings, a run that goes back over a decade and includes the heart-breaking Euro 2020 final defeat at Wembley. The last time the Three Lions defeated the Italians was 2-1 in an international friendly under then boss Roy Hodgson.
Southgate will be hoping to end that winless run tonight and will have confidence in the form of attacking duo Harry Kane and Bukayo Saka. The England captain is in exceptional form and Kane will break an England’s goal-scoring record if he scores in Naples.
Here’s everything you need to know about the game:
When does the match take place?
Italy host England at the Diego Armando Maradona Stadium in Naples in the opening match of the Euro 2024 qualifiers with kick off at 7.45pm.
How to watch Italy vs England?
The match is being broadcast on Channel 4 in the UK with coverage starting from 7pm.
What was the team news?
Roberto Mancini included three uncapped players in a 30-man squad for these opening Euro 2024 qualifiers. Lecce goalkeeper Wladimiro Falcone, Torino defender Alessandro Buongiorno and Atletico Tigre striker Mateo Retegui were all named in the national squad for the first time. Ciro Immobile is out injured while Napoli’s Giacomo Raspadori and Gianluca Scamacca of West Ham United have lacked playing time, with Mancini opting for Scamacca over Raspadori.
Marcus Rashford, Mason Mount and Nick Pope have withdrawn from the England squad due to injuries, while there were some notable omissions when Southgate’s group was announced last week. Trent Alexander-Arnold, Callum Wilson and Ben White weren’t included but there are spots for Kalvin Phillips and Ivan Toney. Raheem Sterling is injured.
Confirmed line-ups
Italy XI: Donnarumma; Di Lorenzo, Acerbi, Toloi, Spinazzola; Barella, Jorginho, Verratti; Berardi, Retegui, Pellegrini
England XI: Pickford; Walker, Stones, Maguire, Shaw; Phillips, Rice, Bellingham; Saka, Kane, Grealish
Odds
Italy – 13/8
Draw – 9/4
England 13/8
Prediction
England have not beaten Italy in Italy for over 60 years so it’s an uphill task for Gareth Southgate’s men.
Roberto Mancini’s European champions lost 2-0 to Austria last time out and with England’s front line all in terrific form the Three Lions could cause an upset and get their qualifying campaign of to a great start.
More realistically, this will be a tense and cagey affair in a hostile environment for England and they’ll do well to avoid defeat.
Italy 1-1 England.
