Roberto Mancini will look to Domenico Berardi, Ciro Immobile and Lorenzo Insigne against North Macedonia, but the Azzurri’s defence will be very different from the one of the Euros.
The Azzurri host North Macedonia at the Stadio Renzo Barbera in Palermo in the World Cup play-offs semifinals tonight. It kicks off at 19.45 UK time.
Mancini will pick almost the same starting line-up as during the Euros, with Gigio Donnarumma in goal, Nicolò Barella, Jorginho and Marco Verratti in midfield, Berardi, Immobile and Insigne in attack.
However, the backline will change a lot compared to last summer as Giorgio Chiellini may be rested after recovering from a calf injury, while Leonardo Bonucci is injured and may return in time for the potential Final. Giovanni Di Lorenzo is also out of action and will be replaced by Alessandro Florenzi. Emerson Palmieri will get the nod at left-back.
Mancini’s main doubt concerns the starting central defenders. Alessandro Bastoni will get a spot, while Gianluca Mancini is favourite over Francesco Acerbi for the other one.
Napoli star Eljif Elmas is not available for North Macedonia as he’s serving a one-match ban. Udinese‘s Ilja Nestorovski hasn’t been called up due to his lack of playing time at the Dacia Arena.
Italy vs. North Macedonia: probable line-ups
Italy: Donnarumma; Florenzi, Mancini, Bastoni, Emerson; Barella, Jorginho, Verratti; Berardi, Immobile, Insigne.
North Macedonia: Dimitrievski; S. Ristovski, Velkovski, Musliu, Alioski; Ademi, Bardhi, Nikolov; Churlinov, M. Ristovski, Trajkovski.
Italia 1-0 N.Macedonia
We could definitely have a better line up, but with that said, I believe it adequate playing at home. We will either be surprised by a good result or an ugly 1-0 win, but we should be okay. The next game will be extremely hard. Tifosi Azzurri, Our World Cup 2022 starts TODAY, if we loose we are out. Forza Italia!!!
No Juve player in the lineup? That doesn’t fare well for Italy!
Who is mancini in defence?
It’s a good line-up under circumstances. Let’s see.
@Forza Juve Gianluca Mancini of Roma
Forza Azzurri 👊🇮🇹🍀💙
100% concentration, one touch where possible, mustn’t be predictable and try to win with good margin. 1 – 0 is too risky. A decent probably formation and now please lets all be behind them. No negative comments.
Forza Italia!
I just wish that they didn’t have Insigne in the game because he just doesn’t score. He scored only once in the Euro’s and in Napoli he has scored only with penalties. I think Raspadori would be better. Nonetheless, WE CAN STILL GET IN THE WORLD CUP!!!!!
I’m OK with that but I would have had Biraghi instead of Florenzi.
But Biraghi’s Fiorentina eat a lot of goals and so maybe they see a concern here.
forza italia 2-0 insigne and beradi are gonna score
Extremely worried for the attack, Insigne has been terrible in big moments this season. Immobile scoring goals for Lazio but hardly any goal in big games this season plus he has been absolutely atrocious for Italy during qualifier.
Berardi has been on fire, and I was hoping to see the SS attack with Raspadori and Scamacca but the latter is said to be injured. Mancini got to realise Immobile isn’t working for Italy and needs to start to seek alternatives player or system.
Also all 3 midfielders have been below bar this season so far, would have been nice to see Pellegrini, Tonali in for a change.
Overall, I wish we see Italy of the Euros where the movements clicked and didn’t look disjointed. We need the midfielders moving into the half spaces to create that overload that worked so well. So Emerson (not as good as Spina) can push up.