After a mixed group stage in which Italy unconvincingly qualified in second place, the Azzurri will face Group A runners-up Switzerland in the round of 16 in Berlin on Saturday, kick off is at 5PM (BST). Here is the Italy predicted lineup for the clash.
Italy Predicted Lineup For Round Of 16 Clash vs Alpine Neighbours Switzerland
How Italy Have Lined Up Recently
Italy named an unchanged lineup for the first two group games of Euro 2024, lining up in a 4-3-3 formation with Captain Gianluigi Donnarumma in goal.
Read More: Euro 2024 Round Of 16 Predictions Including Switzerland Vs Italy
Giovanni Di Lorenzo and Federico Dimarco were right and left-back respectively, with Alessandro Bastoni and Riccardo Calafiori as centre-backs.
A midfield three of Jorginho, Nicolo Barella and Davide Fratessi sat behind an attacking trident of Federico Chiesa, Gianluca Scamacca and Lorenzo Pellegrini.
In the Azzurri‘s final group game against Croatia, Luciano Spalletti switched to three at the back, fielding a 3-1-4-2 formation. Di Lorenzo and Dimarco were wing-backs, with a back three of Calafiori, Bastoni and Matteo Darmian. Jorginho was the deep-lying playmaker, with Barella and Pellegrini just in front of him. Matteo Retegui and Giacomo Raspadori were the two strikers.
Italy Recent Form And Tactics
After an underwhelming qualifying campaign in which coach Spalletti experimented with several different formations (Both four and three at the back) and only avoided the playoffs with a final-round draw against Ukraine, Italy beat Albania 2-1 in the opening game of Euro 2024, before being convincingly beaten by Luis de la Fuente’s Spain in the second game.
Read More: Five Things We Learnt From The Croatia Euro Exit
A last-gasp equaliser from Mattia Zaccagni in the third and final group game sealed second place for the Azzurri at the expense of Croatia, but Spalletti’s side did little to convince the footballing world that they were capable of advancing into the latter stages of the tournament.
Italy Injuries To Consider
There are no immediate injury concerns for Italy, although defender Calafiori will miss the game through a yellow card suspension.
Italy Predicted Lineup
GK: Gianluigi Donnarumma
RWB: Giovanni Di Lorenzo
RCB: Matteo Darmian
CB: Gianluca Mancini
LCB: Alessandro Bastoni
LWB: Federico Dimarco
RCM: Nicolo Barella
CM: Jorginho
LCM: Lorenzo Pellegrini
ST: Gianluca Scamacca
ST: Federico Chiesa.
