Belgium vs Italy: Euro 2020 team news and prediction

 

Belgium and Italy face off for the second European Championships in a row, albeit Friday's clash has more on the line than their group stage encounter five years ago.

 

Two of the form sides of this summer's tournament will go head-to-head for a place in the last four where they will face either Switzerland or Spain.

 

Belgium are led by Roberto Martinez, in his second major tournament in charge of the Red Devils, while this is Mancini's first with the Azzurri as manager.

 

The two managers have faced off on eight previous occasions, though their last dance was back in 2013 when Martinez's Wigan defeated Mancini's City 1-0 in the FA Cup final. Prior to that, Mancini had won seven in a row and hadn't even conceded a goal to Martinez.

 

Ahead of their latest encounter, we have all your need-to-know matchday information in one place. Running through important team news, probable XIs and how both teams have fared at Euro 2020 to date.

 

 

When is kick off?
Friday 2nd July, 20:00 GMT
Where is the match?
Allianz Arena, Munich (Germany)
What TV channel is it on?
BBC One / BBC iPlayer

 

Route to the Quarter-Finals

 

After topping Group B with three wins from three, seven goals scored and one goal conceded, Belgium were drawn with defending champions Portugal in the Round of 16. In a pretty forgettable game, Belgium eventually came out 1-0 winners thanks to Thorgan Hazard's stunning strike from distance.

 

Italy also won their group, in even more emphatic fashion than Belgium. Roberto Mancini's side won all three of their games without conceding a goal but were served their first gut check against Austria in the round of 16. After a goalless 90 minutes, in which Austria had a goal disallowed for offside, Italy eventually ran out 2-1 winners thanks to goals from substitutes Federico Chiesa and Matteo Pessina.

 

Team News

 

Belgium's win over Portugal came at a real cost as they lost both Eden Hazard and Kevin De Bruyne to injury. Roberto Martinez hopes they will be available after Friday's game but the absence of both certainly tips the balance in Italy's favour. Dries Mertens and Yannick Carrasco are the favourites to step in.

 

Giorgio Chiellini is expected to return to the fold on Friday after missing Italy's last two matches through injury. The Juventus veteran was back in training ahead of their round of 16 clash with Austria but was not risked. Fellow defender Alessandro Florenzi is unlikely to recover in time. Mancini has a big decision to make in midfield with Manuel Locatelli pushing to start and now also Matteo Pessina knocking at the door. Federico Chiesa could also replace Domenico Berardi in attack.

 

Probable XIs:

 

Belgium vs Italy: Euro 2020 team news and prediction

 

Belgium (3421): Courtois; Alderweireld, Vermaelen, Vertonghen; Meunier, Tielemans, Witsel; T. Hazard; Mertens, Carrasco; Lukaku

 

Italy (433): Donnarumma; Di Lorenzo, Bonucci, Cheillini, Spinazzola; Verratti, Jorginho, Barella; Chiesa, Immobile, Insigne

 

Key Battle: Romelu Lukaku vs Ciro Immobile

 

Belgium vs Italy: Euro 2020 team news and prediction

 

With Eden Hazard and Kevin De Bruyne ruled out, there will be even more pressure on Romelu Lukaku on Friday. The Inter striker is certainly in the right form to deliver the goods, having fired Inter to the Serie A title last season and with three goals in four games at Euro 2020. In many ways Lukaku needs to treat Friday's game as a Serie A fixture. In fact, only two of Italy's probable line-up ply their trade outside of Italy and one of those, Gigi Donnarumma, only left AC Milan for Paris Saint-Germain this summer.

 

Ciro Immobile has been a goal machine in his own right in Italy over the last two years and is now tasked with firing Italy to their first European Championship since 1980. Lukaku got the better of Serie A rival Cristiano Ronaldo in the last 16 and Immobile will be out to prevent another scalping. The 31-year-old has a relatively modest record at international level with just 15 goals in 49 caps but he does have two in three appearances at Euro 2020.

 

Scoreline Prediction: Belgium 1-2 Italy


Belgium vs Italy: Euro 2020 team news and prediction