Roberto Mancini begins his second spell in charge of the Italian national team with a match against Belgium, who have also appointed a new manager in Mark van Bommel.
The man who led Italy to their last major trophy in their Euro 2020 triumph has the task of making the Azzurri competitive and a force on the world stage once again.
In hindsight, it seems it was a mistake to sack him three years ago, when Italy finished third in the UEFA Nations League, only to bring him back now.
On paper, Italy’s recent results aren’t bad, with eight wins in their last 10 matches, but the fact that they missed out on a third consecutive World Cup certainly stings deeply.
Belgium reached the quarter-finals of the last World Cup, losing to the eventual champions, Spain. The next few years will be very interesting for the Red Devils, as a complete generational change is underway. The big names from the past are calling time on their football careers, and the youngsters need to show more determination.
On paper, the defeat to Spain was their first in 18 matches (W12, D6), so Mark van Bommel must build on the team’s long-standing strong form.
How the bookies view it: Italy to clutch a win
Although on paper, Belgium can boast better form, the bookmakers expect the Azzurri to win this clash.
However, the difference in the odds isn’t all that great; at the moment, you can back Italy at 6/5, a draw at 5/2, or Belgium at 11/5.
Recent head-to-head: The Azzurri are unbeaten in the last five
Even when they are not at their best, the Azzurri usually perform well against Belgium and can boast a strong record over the last few decades.
Belgium have only two wins in their last 10 matches against Italy between 1996 and 2024. Three years ago, they were drawn in the same group in the Nations League, with the match in Rome ending 2–2 before Italy secured a 1–0 victory in the return fixture.
Players to watch: Godts is ready to conquer the international stage
Both managers will have to work around the numerous absences of key players in their squads, so we’re likely to see some new names in the line-ups.
I certainly see value in the odds for Daniel Maldini if Mancini gives him a chance. The 24-year-old Cagliari player heads into the international break on the back of three consecutive goal-scoring appearances in Serie A.
On the other end, PSG’s new prospect Mika Godts may make his debut in an official match after his sensational season with Ajax last year (G17, A14).
Probable line-ups
Italy: Donnarumma, Calafiori, Scalvini, Mancini, Kayode, Barella, Frattesi, Tonali, Esposito, Inacio, Raspadori
Belgium: Lammens, De Cuyper, Theate, De Winter, Castagne, Tielemans, Lavia, De Bruyne, Lukebakio, Godts, Lukaku
Anything else catch the eye?
It is well known that Belgium can score plenty of goals, provided they play with determination – something we don’t always see. And in recent years, they have certainly been one of the toughest teams to beat.
The bigger test will be for Italy, who have certainly lacked balance of late, even though they’ve won quite a few matches.
I expect a very close match with at least one goal from each side. Defence will always be the focal point for the Azzurri, so 1–1 sounds like a fairly logical result to me.
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