Next Wednesday, 6, the first finalist of the current edition of the Nations League will be defined. Italy and Spain will face each other in a repeat of the semifinal of the last European Championship. Both teams will be in search of an unprecedented title for the gallery. All four semi-finalists of the 2020/2021 tournament will reach this competition stage for the first time. The winners will face Belgium or France in the Final.
Stadium and city where Italy vs Spain will be played
The clash between the teams will be played at the Giuseppe Meazza Stadium in Milan, Italy. The other semifinal and the final will also take place in the European country.
Last meeting between the teams
The most recent duel between Italy and Spain, as already mentioned, was in the semifinal of the last European Championship. The Italians won on penalties after a 1-1 draw in average time and extra time on that occasion. The goal was scored by Federico Chiesa, while Alvaro Morata scored for Spain. In the penalty shootout, Roberto Mancini’s men won 4-2 and confirmed their place in the final.
Italy
Italy goes into their Nations League semifinal defending an unbeaten record. The Azzurri are undefeated in their last 37 matches, making them the longest unbeaten streak in the history of any team. Their most recent victory came against Lithuania in a World Cup qualifier, 5-0. In qualifying, the Italians lead Group C with 14 points after six matches. In other words, they are close to securing their place in the World Cup.
Italy analysis
Despite being one of only two teams still unbeaten in the Nations League, Italy has the third-best record in the competition so far. In their six group matches, Roberto Mancini’s men have won three and drawn three. That means they have 12 points from Group A, which also includes, for example, the Netherlands. The Azzurri have scored seven goals and conceded just two, giving them the best defense in the tournament.
Absentees
Coach Roberto Mancini has kept the team’s core that won the European Championship in the middle of the year. The primary absence is that of Milan’s right-back Alessandro Florenzi, who was not called up due to a meniscus injury. The captain did not call any player for the close substitute of Giovanni Di Lorenzo, the holder of the position. Therefore, it is very likely that the starting line-up will be the same as in the EURO final against England.
Spain
Spain, on the other hand, enters their clash with the Italians at a difficult time. Despite having won their last two World Cup qualifiers, La Selección has not enjoyed the best record in Group B. They lead the group with 13 points but have two games with Sweden, the group runners-up, with nine points. However, the Spaniards still have two games in hand with Sweden, which have nine points.
Spain review
Luis Enrique’s side has the worst record of all the semi-finalists in the Nations League. La Roja collected just 11 points in the group stage, the fruit of three wins, two draws, and one defeat. Despite this, Spain’s attack is the second-best in this tournament edition, with 13 goals scored in this period. Their defense was also outstanding, with only three goals conceded, making them the second-best defense in the competition.
Absentees
Unlike Italy, the Spaniards have several vital absentees for the final stretch of the Nations League. Injured Barcelona left-back Jordi Alba and RB Leipzig striker Dani Olmo will be absent from the starting line-up. In addition to the pair, Alvaro Morata, Juventus, also injured, was left out of the call-up. Sporting’s Pablo Sarabia and Villarreal’s Yeremi Pino have been given a chance because of this and are new additions.
Italy vs Spain top betting tips
Goal betting tips
Until the rout against Lithuania in World Cup Qualifying, Italy was coming off a run of four straight low-scoring games. On those occasions, they had scored no more than two goals. This means that the chances of seeing a duel with a low score are genuine. Therefore, a good betting option is on ‘less than 2.5 goals’. The Bet365 pick has odds of 1.67.
Betting tips for the result
The match promises to be very even, just like it was in the Euro semifinal. However, the Azzurri have slight favoritism. The reigning European champions want to keep their long unbeaten streak going and hope to advance to the Nations League decider with a minor scare than the EURO. So it might be a good bet for Italy to win. The odds for an Italian win are at 2.40 at Bet365.
Check out other predictions for this midweek, as well as news about the world of sports betting, on our home page!
FAQ’s
Next Wednesday 6, the first finalist of the current edition of the Nations League will be defined. Italy and Spain will face each other in a repeat of the semifinal of the last Eurocup.
The clash between the teams will be played at the Giuseppe Meazza Stadium in Milan, Italy.
The most recent meeting between Italy and Spain was in the semifinal of the final European Championship. The Italians won on penalties after a 1-1 draw in average time and extra time on that occasion.
A good betting option is on the ‘under 2.5 goals’. The Bet365 pick has odds of 1.67.
The bookmaker with the best odds for this match is Bet365!
