Football Italia
·10 October 2024
Football Italia
·10 October 2024
Italy start Sandro Tonali, Lorenzo Pellegrini and Mateo Retegui in the Nations League showdown with Belgium, who look to Charles De Ketelaere, Lois Openda and Leandro Trossard.
It kicks off at the Stadio Olimpico in Rome at 19.45 UK time (18.45 GMT).
The Azzurri sit top of the group after winning 3-1 in France and 2-1 away to Israel, enjoying a three-point cushion from Les Bleus and the Red Devils.
Riccardo Calafiori returns from injury in the now consolidated 3-5-2 formation, with Pellegrini chosen to support current Serie A Capocannoniere Retegui.
Tonali, Davide Frattesi and Manchester City transfer target Samuele Ricci are in midfield, with Nicolò Barella, Marco Brescianini, Moise Kean, Gianluca Scamacca and Giorgio Scalvini among those unavailable.
Belgium also have some missing stars, as Kevin de Bruyne, Amadou Onana and Romelu Lukaku are out of action, the latter asking to be left out to regain full fitness at Napoli.
Trossard, Atalanta star Charles De Ketelaere and Jeremy Doku are in support of RB Leipzig striker Openda, as they appear to be going with a three-man defence.
It is a special game for coach Domenico Tedesco, who was born in Italy and moved to Germany as a baby.
Not only have Belgium lost their last three meetings with the Azzurri, but they haven’t won a competitive meeting since May 1972, managing one draw and four defeats.
Italy: Donnarumma; Di Lorenzo, Bastoni, Calafiori; Cambiaso, Frattesi, Ricci, Tonali, Dimarco; Pellegrini; Retegui
Belgium: Casteels; Debast, Faes, Theate; De Cuyper, Mangala, Tielemans; De Ketelaere, Doku, Trossard; Openda
Ref: Eskas (NOR)
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