The European Champions are already back together, and Italy’s starting line-up against Bulgaria shouldn’t include any big surprises after the success at Wembley this summer.
After the ‘magic nights’ of EURO 2020, the Azzurri are back on the pitch at 19.45 UK time in Florence, playing the fourth game in the World Cup Qualifiers for Qatar 2022.
Italy CT Roberto Mancini seems set to make only one change from the starting XI at Wembley, when his men beat England on penalties in July.
Francesco Acerbi seems set to replace Giorgio Chiellini, as Inter defender Alessandro Bastoni still has a way to go to break into the national team.
Bastoni is expected to take over eventually, but the Lazio defender remains the first choice between the two at the moment.
But Mancini warned the Bulgarians have players who already played eight or nine league games and pointed at the possible pitfalls in the battle at the Artemio Franchi in Florence.
Bulgaria are expected to start in a 3-5-2 formation, with familiar faces like Valentin Antov from Monza and Petko Hristov of Spezia in the squad.
Italy (4-3-3): Donnarumma; Di Lorenzo, Bonucci, Acerbi, Emerson; Barella, Jorginho, Verratti; Chiesa, Immobile, Insigne
Bulgaria (3-5-2): Naumov; Turitsov, Antov, Bozhikov; Karagaren, Chochev, Kostadinov, Vitanov, Nedelev; Delev, Iliev
Ref: Gozubuyuk (NED)
Why do they keep bringing Kean on he is the worst clumsy and no skill whatsoever.
Why did Mancini bring in benchwarmers to the national team,Chiellini,Donnarumma,Emerson…. Why start Acerbi instead of Bastoni