Italy CT Roberto Mancini spoke to the press today and Italian media predicts Ciro Immobile will start in the semi-final against Spain at Wembley.
The Lazio forward has been criticised after the performance against Belgium but is expected to stay in the starting line-up and keep Andrea Belotti out of the side that faces Spain in London.
The match at Wembley kicks off at 20.00 UK time and the Azzurri trained at The Hive Stadium to not make any further damages to the grass at England’s national stadium ahead of the three remaining games.
The Azzurri were thus hosted at the home of Barnet FC and prepared for the big game against La Furia Roja on Tuesday, after Mancini and Leonardo Bonucci’s press conferences.
The Italy CT complained about the fans for the semi-final and felt Italian and Spanish poeple should have been able to split the tickets for the game.
Mancini expects a ‘tough game’ against Luis Enrique’s men and the Spain CT claimed he will ‘cheer for Italy’ in the Final, should the Azzurri win ‘in the right way’ tomorrow.
Bonucci went on to defend Immobile and stressed there are ‘no favourites’ when Italy and Spain clash in the English capital.
Leonardo Spinazzola, who suffered a ruptured Achilles against Belgium in the last round, sent a message on Instagram after his successful surgery in Finland. “The countdown starts now,” the Roma full-back wrote.
Italy have continued to prepare for the semi-final without the influential defender and he could be one of very few changes to Mancini’s line-up.
Chelsea full-back Emerson Palmieri is expected to replace Spinazzola in the starting line-up, but that could be the only change from the line-up that started against Belgium at Allianz Arena in Munich.
Gianluigi Donnarumma will continue between the sticks, with Giovanni Di Lorenzo, who reportedly reached an agreement to extend to a five-year deal with Napoli, is set to start at right-back.
Bonucci and Giorgio Chiellini seem set to continue in the heart of the defence, with Jorginho, Marco Verratti and Nicolò Barella in the midfield trident.
Federico Chiesa seems to have taken over at right wing, after replacing Domenico Berardi last time, and Lorenzo Insigne will continue at left.
Immobile disappointed in the quarter-final but Mancini renewed his faith before training and said he wanted the striker to respond to the criticism and send Italy to the Final, also at Wembley.
Italian media believes the atmosphere in the Azzurri camp is serene, but the concentration is high ahead of the game. Mancini kept the group together and hopes for another spirited performance against Luis Enrique’s men.
The Spain CT hinted Pablo Sarabia will not play against Italy and spoke about his time in the country with Roma, and explained the two sides facing each other in England tomorrow are very similar in style of play.
Fabio Capello doesn’t agree and feels Spain play ‘very slow football’ and claimed Italy must avoid ‘adapting’ to their pace.