Italy will face Germany, England and Hungary in the Nations League Group of Death, taking on the Three Lions again so soon after their UEFA EURO 2020 Final clash.
Roberto Mancini’s side beat England on penalties in July to win EURO 2020, while their rivalry with Germany goes back decades in several World Cup clashes, including the epic 4-3 semi-final of 1970 and extra time semi-final success in 2006.
As for Hungary, their coach is Italian Marco Rossi, so again familiar faces all around for the Nazionale.
Italy have plenty of history with Germany, England and Hungary
The Azzurri finished third in the 2020/21 edition of the tournament, winning their group and then beating Belgium in the third-place final after defeat to Spain in the semi-final in November.
France won the 2021 Nations League trophy, following in the footsteps of inaugural winners Portugal.
The games will be played with Matchdays 1 and 2 on June 2-8, Matchdays 3 and 4 on June 8-14 and Matchdays 5 and 6 on September 22-27.
The semi-finals for the group winners are then set for June 14 and 15, 2023, with the Final on June 18, 2023.
League A
Group 1
France
Denmark
Croatia
Austria
Group 2
Spain
Portugal
Switzerland
Czech Republic
Group 3
Italy
Germany
England
Hungary
Group 4
Belgium
Netherlands
Poland
Wales
League B
Group 1
Ukraine
Scotland
Republic of Ireland
Armenia
Group 2
Iceland
Russia
Israel
Albania
Group 3
Bosnia-Herzegovina
Finland
Romania
Montenegro
Group 4
Sweden
Norway
Serbia
Slovenia
League C
Group 1
Turkey
Luxembourg
Lithuania
Faroe Islands
Group 2
Northern Ireland
Greece
Kosovo
Cyprus/Estonia
Group 3
Slovakia
Belarus
Azerbaijan
Kazakhstan/Moldova
Group 4
Bulgaria
North Macedonia
Georgia
Gibraltar
League D
Group 1
Liechtenstein
Kazakhstan/Moldova
Andorra
Latvia
Group 2
Malta
Cyprus/Estonia
San Marino
Here we go again lol
I love it. This is what I wanted.
Although maybe Austria was a better test. Second thought, Hungary is probably better than Austria or Czech’s afterall.
English tabloids are really gonna have a field day with this one. Their usual #1 target for their vitriol, Germany, will have no choice to be #2, behind Italia. Sorry Germany, they hate us more.
Respect all opponents, fear none.
Just some context as it pertains to World Cup Qualifiers. Notice that Turkey are a LEAGUE C team.
It really is shaping up to be a Portugal vs Italy Playoff in Path C unless Turkey go all out.
2 scenario’s how this plays out:
A) Qualify to the World Cup: bring some different players (Amaru, Joao Pedro, hella lot more Di Marco, maybe Lazzari) and try different formations so when we go to the World Cup, with (i think 4 of the 6) UNL matches having been played, we are not stale and predictable, which we clearly have become. In a match at the tournament, if the situation arises, we can change formations during the match without difficulty. Then lift that trophy as well for the 5th star.
B) not qualify to the World Cup: overhaul of team. rebuild of players aged 26 and Under. then suffer for 3 years until Euro 2024.
Brandon seriously Joao pedro we got so much talent and you go and mention a washed up player. U must be behind that stupid article that actually mention him, iabnez and some other clown. These guys suck we got better players in Seria B than most of top leagues in europe.
Like who as a 2nd Striker or Tre-quartista?
Zaniolo who plays 15 Minutes and then is out injured for 3 matches? 0 goals scored this year.
Stefano Sensi? See above?
Pellegrini?
You say we have these players but didn’t list any. Boh.
Show us a group of death and we will find our way to it
And no, we don’t have so much talent.
Because when Italian clubs are down to 35% domestic players then this is an issue. Have you seen Udinese‘s roster lately? The have 2 or 3 Italians in their 22+ team!
Then people criticize the current group of players? How can we be good, how can we not have difficulty qualifying when the Directors of our clubs would rather bring over an African, Argentine, or Brazilian from age 15 onwards and invest in them instead of their own?
I repeat: if it was down to 35% 15 Years ago, a late bloomer like Fabio Grosso would have never made it and we would have never won in 2006.
Who cares about this, they need to worry about not embarrassing themselves in March
Okay I know I’m just nitpicking here but this is a site about Italian football and Serie A in particular so why would FI use a picture of the one player from the PL when talking about the Azzurri???
Someone please scrap this nations league. Who cares???
WTF is the point of the Nations League? Never got it…
Bob,
– It is more more meaningful than Friendlies, for starters. 80% of Friendlies were boring.
– Since UEFA is approximately 50+ Associations, it gives the lesser lights meaningful matches and targets, Malta and Cyprus can battle out who gets Promoted to League C. Kazakhstan and Moldova can finally settle that age old debate of who is better while they battle out in League C. Belgium and Croatia battle out who avoids Relegation from League A to League B.
– Winner gets to win a shiny trophy.
– UEFA are forcing it to mean something because they are putting emphasis on these Results for Euro Qualifiers and as was seen for the World Cup Playoffs, Results from the last Nations League factored in.
This is total overload on the players and the fans
Not really.
– There are no more Friendlies, by and large.
– If the World Cup wasn’t pushed back to December 2022, then these player would have been playing in June anyways.
But a biennial World Cup would be overload.
Forgot to add, Confederations Cup is cancelled.
If you go to a world cup every 2 years you would have to scrap the Euros
Yup.
This is why UEFA and CONMEBOL, not to mention the clubs, are dead set against it. All fans are as well.
So what did they do to combat it? Join forces, put out joint statement’s, opened an office in London to show FIFA they are working together, then set up a match called the ‘Finalissima’ between Europe’s champions versus South America’s champions.
Italy vs Argentina. June 1 at Wembley.
2 subsequent Finalissima’s have been agreed upon.
FIFA then goes low and pulls the race card. Infantino telling a group of black delegates from CAF that Europe is only opposed to this because they are afraid that an African team could win and upset the powers.
False and who’s to say Europe and South America don’t continue to win them regardless or the intervals.
it’s beautiful it’s fantastic it’s the beauty of football. italy will benefit very much experience in this tough group it’s about time to go tough. predict scamacca to shine & rise among top nations. mancini must focus on sassulo strikers they are beautiful they are 100% italian they are the future they are so talented.