Italy could make six changes to the starting XI for tonight’s World Cup qualifier in Macedonia after a 1-1 draw with Spain.
It kicks off in Skopje at 19.45 UK time (18.45 GMT).
Some adjustments are forced after Thursday’s stalemate in Turin, as Riccardo Montolivo is injured and Graziano Pellè frozen out for disrespecting Coach Giampiero Ventura.
Italy could make six changes to the starting XI for tonight’s World Cup qualifier in Macedonia after a 1-1 draw with Spain.
It kicks off in Skopje at 19.45 UK time (18.45 GMT).
Some adjustments are forced after Thursday’s stalemate in Turin, as Riccardo Montolivo is injured and Graziano Pellè frozen out for disrespecting Coach Giampiero Ventura.
Giorgio Chiellini is also injured, so Alessio Romagnoli remains in the back three.
It is already known that Marco Verratti will be the midfield playmaker, while Ciro Immobile and Andrea Belotti lead the attack.
The rest is up in the air with conflicting reports coming through from the Azzurri camp.
Antonio Candreva seems pretty sure to start on the right wing, but it was previously thought that Giacomo Bonaventura, Alessandro Florenzi and Federico Bernardeschi were fighting for one place, with Mattia De Sciglio on the left.
Sky Sport Italia instead suggest that Bonaventura and Fiorentina wide man Bernardeschi could start with De Sciglio included.
This could well have Bernardeschi in a wide role as part of a trident attack or in a trequartista role, as it seems unlikely wing-back De Sciglio would be moved into central midfield.
Another alternative would be to see Daniele De Rossi confirmed from the Spain match, but in a less central role, replacing De Sciglio.
In recent Fiorentina outings, Bernardeschi was used in more of a free role behind the strikers and this could be what Ventura has in mind to break down the ultra-defensive Macedonian 5-3-2 set-up.
Macedonia (probable): Bogatinov; Ristovski, Mojsov, Shikov, Ristevski, Zhuta; Hasani, Ibraimi, Alioski; Pandev, Nestorovski
Italy (probable): Buffon; Barzagli, Bonucci, Romagnoli; Candreva, Verratti, Bonaventura, De Sciglio; Bernardeschi; Belotti, Immobile