AUSTRIA – ITALY | Sunday 8:45pm
Italy will take to the pitch in Vienna to play their last match of 2022 and will do so a few hours after the opening match of Qatar 2022, an event which will see – alas – Roberto Mancini’s Azzurri among the big losers. After the Albanian trip – another success came in Tirana, the third in a row if we also count the challenges against England and Hungary in the Nations League – it will be Marko Arnautovic’s Austria to test the progress of the reigning European champions. Austria evokes sweet memories for Mancini, considering that it was from the red and whites, defeated 2-1 in extra time in the round of 16, that he began his climb towards Euro 2022 triumph a year and a half ago. It seems like a century since that match, as after winning the European Championship, Italy had to deal with one of the most burning disappointments of recent times, reliving the nightmare of not qualifying for Russia 2018.
The coach will take advantage of this to field another experimental line-up, in which Grifo, the star of last Wednesday’s match with a brace and an assist, will certainly find space. Mancini will therefore repropose the trident, formed by the Freiburg striker, Raspadori and Politano. At the back, the defence is likely to be back to three: Scalvini should team up with the two Inter players Acerbi and Bastoni. In the middle, Tonali-Verratti out and Barella-Pessina in, with Di Lorenzo and Dimarco on the outside lanes. On the other side, Ralf Rangnick, the Austrian selector, will field all the best players including, in addition to Arnautovic, Alaba, Sabitzer, Grillitsch and Gregoritsch. It was precisely the Bologna striker who enabled Austria to return to success after three defeats in a row in the Nations League (costing them relegation to League B): this week the men led by the former Leipzig and Manchester United coach beat the Andorran selection 1-0.
The Prediction
Italy should be able to avoid defeat even against an Austria that struggles in the possession phase, as the latest figures clearly show (only one goal in the last four matches). Against Italy, the stimuli will be greater and the quality however with Alaba, Grillitsch, Sabitzer, Arnautovic and Gregoritsch is not lacking. At least one goal per team is likely with Italy favourites for victory
Austria-Italy’s likely line-up
- AUSTRIA (4-4-2): Lindner; Posch, Trimmel, Danso, Alaba; Baumgartner, Grillitsch, Schlager, Sabitzer; Arnautovic, Gregoritsch.
- ITALIA (3-4-3): Donnarumma; Scalvini, Acerbi, Bastoni; Di Lorenzo, Barella, Pessina, Dimarco; Politano, Raspadori, Grifo.
POSSIBLE RESULT: 1-2
