Luciano Spalletti’s first ever Italy team is a 4-3-3 formation with Ciro Immobile, Mattia Zaccagni, Nicolò Barella and Sandro Tonali in the EURO 2024 qualifier away to North Macedonia.
It kicks off in Skopje at 19.45 UK time (18.45 GMT).
You can follow all the build-up and action as it happens on the LIVEBLOG.
The Azzurri already played two games in this group, losing to England and beating Malta 2-0, before coach Roberto Mancini suddenly resigned on August 13.
Spalletti takes over and adopts a 4-3-3 shape, but Federico Chiesa and Lorenzo Pellegrini pulled out with muscular injuries.
Zaccagni therefore steps in to join his Lazio teammate Immobile and Napoli winger Matteo Politano, while Bryan Cristante fills in for his Roma companion in midfield.
As he is the player with the most senior caps, Immobile takes the captain’s armband.
North Macedonia beat Italy with a stoppage-time counter-attack in the 2022 World Cup play-off, which really was the beginning of the end for Mancini’s reign.
Aleksandar Trajkovski scored that goal, but he is on the bench, being a free agent after leaving Al-Fayha in July.
There are familiar faces, including Napoli forward Eljif Elmas and Ascoli centre-forward Ilija Nestorovski.
North Macedonia: Dimitrievski; Manev, Musliu, Zaykov, Alioski; Ashkovski, Bardhi; Elezi, Atanasov, Elmas; Miovski
North Macedonia bench: Aleksovski, Shiskovski, Iljazovski, Ademi, Trajkovski, Doriev, Serafimov, David Babunski, Alimi, M Ristovski, Dimoski, Nestorovski
Italy: Donnarumma; Di Lorenzo, Mancini, Bastoni, Dimarco; Barella, Cristante, Tonali; Politano, Immobile, Zaccagni
Italy bench: Vicario, Meret, Biraghi, Locatelli, Romagnoli, Retegui, Raspadori, Gnonto, Darmian, Scalvini, Frattesi, Zaniolo
Ref: Letexier (FRA)
09-09-2023 19:45 Player statistic
| 47' |  |
Ciro Immobile | ||
| Jovan Manev |  |
68' | ||
| 70' | |
Federico Dimarco | ||
| 75' | |
Sandro Tonali | ||
| 79' | |
Nicolò Zaniolo | ||
| Enis Bardhi | |
81' | ||
| Isnik Alimi | |
88' |
Match statistic
