After a wild finish left them with just a point last time out, Italy is eager to extend their lead at the top of League A Group 2 when they host Israel in Udine on Monday evening.
The Azzurri seemed on track for a win against Belgium in Rome until a red card for Lorenzo Pellegrini turned the tide, allowing Belgium to equalize from a free kick. Meanwhile, Israel suffered a heavy loss to France in their last match.
In their previous Nations League game, Italy had a rocky start, conceding a goal just 13 seconds in against France. However, they quickly turned things around, scoring within a minute in their recent 2-2 draw with Belgium.
They showed great teamwork, stringing together 18 passes to set up Andrea Cambiaso’s opener, followed by Mateo Retegui doubling their lead.
Despite the disappointment of the red card, Italy remains optimistic. That point keeps them atop Group 2, and they’re looking to secure three wins out of four in this Nations League campaign.
After a rough defense of their European Championship title, they’ve bounced back, starting with a strong victory over France and a win against Israel in their last meeting.
On the other hand, Israel has been struggling. They’ve been playing their ‘home’ games in Hungary due to ongoing conflict in the Middle East, but unfortunately, all three matches there have ended in defeat. They faced Belgium, Italy, and France, losing each time, including a 4-1 thrashing by France.
Having moved up from League C to the top tier, Israel’s time in the Nations League may be short-lived. They sit four points behind third-place Belgium and are yet to earn a point in Group 2. Coach Ran Ben Shimon’s squad heads to northern Italy with hope, but their recent form only two wins in their last ten matches will make it a tough challenge.
INJURIES & SUSPENSION
After settling on a preferred formation and finally putting an end to his tactical shuffling, Italy's coach Luciano Spalletti will have to make at least one change to his winning lineup on Monday because Lorenzo Pellegrini is suspended.
To fill the gap, he has called up former Roma teammate Nicolo Zaniolo from Atalanta, but given his fitness struggles this season, it’s likely he’ll start on the bench.
Italy will also be without Federico Chiesa for similar reasons, and Zaniolo's teammates Gianluca Scamacca and Giorgio Scalvini are among several players on the injury list, along with key midfielder Nicolo Barella and Fiorentina striker Moise Kean.
This situation opens the door for Daniel Maldini to potentially earn his first cap, following in the footsteps of his legendary father and grandfather. However, Giacomo Raspadori is expected to partner Mateo Retegui in attack.
On the other side, Israel will be missing captain Eli Dasa and young forward Dor Turgeman, as well as Leeds United winger Manor Solomon, who is out with a hamstring injury.
With Solomon unavailable, Oscar Gloukh and Omri Gandelman are likely to provide support for the lone striker, Tai Baribo from Philadelphia Union.
POSSIBLE LINE-UPS
Italy possible starting lineup:
Donnarumma; Di Lorenzo, Bastoni, Calafiori; Cambiaso, Fagioli, Ricci, Tonali, Dimarco; Raspadori, Retegui
Israel possible starting lineup:
Glazer; Feingold, Nachimas, Shlomo; Abada, Abu Fani, Kanichowsky, Leidner; Gloukh, Gandelman; Baribo
EXPERT PREDICTION
Italy 2-1 Israel
Although Italy's winning streak came to an end on Thursday, they seem to have regained their rhythm since the Euros, making them a tough challenge for their limited opponents in Udine.
On the other hand, Israel has managed to score in every match so far, so they might find the back of the net even if they end up with a fourth consecutive loss in Group 2.
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