Venezuela-Italy is a friendly match and is played Thursday at 10 p.m.: odds, predictions, statistics, live free-to-air TV and streaming.
Italy returns to the United States almost 30 years after the last time, when in the USA ’94 World Cup it came close to the most coveted cup and surrendered only to Romario and Bebeto’s Brazil in the Pasadena final at the end of a momentous series of penalties. This time in the States, “only” a couple of friendlies await us – the first with Venezuela, the second with Ecuador – which will serve coach Luciano Spalletti to clear his head ahead of the German European Championship, where the Azzurri will come in as defending champions and cannot disfigure themselves.
Italy’s first stop is Fort Lauderdale, Florida, in the stadium where Leo Messi’s Inter Miami play. Beyond the result, it is rather important to find a clear identity: so far, in fact, the Azzurri have been “Spallettian” only in spurts, getting the direct pass to Germany by the skin of their teeth. Italy finished second in its qualifying group behind the unreachable England and tied on points with Ukraine, below because of direct clashes. What a scare last November in the direct clash in Leverkusen, in which despite a less than brilliant performance, Spalletti’s men managed to avoid that defeat (0-0) that would have forced them to go through the playoffs to qualify. Italy was subsequently drawn in Group B, by far one of the toughest: with the Azzurri also Spain, Croatia and Albania.
First clash with Vinotinto
This is the first clash with Venezuela, with whom there is no precedent. Vinotinto has already been involved in world qualifying since last year
Following the enlargement of the number of teams – there will be 48 in the 2026 edition – six will qualify in the South American round and no longer just four. Meanwhile, the first outings of the selection led by Argentina’s Fernando Batista have been encouraging. Thanks to 9 points won in 6 matches, Venezuela is momentarily fourth, 2 points ahead of Brazil, with whom they drew 1-1 in October. In the 11 matches played with Batista on the bench, the Vinotinto has collected only two defeats.
Spalletti could make some tactical experiments, such as switching to a three-man defense, and he will certainly give space to a little bit of everyone, including new faces such as Veronese Folorunsho. Certain of a starting shirt are Buongiorno, Udogie, Chiesa and Frattesi, while Acerbi remained in Italy because of the alleged racist epithet directed at Napoli’s Juan Jesus in last Sunday’s match between his Inter and the partenopei. In his place, Spalletti has summoned Mancini of Roma. At the center of the attack should play the oriundo Retegui.
The prediction
In the last seven games Venezuela has scored more than one goal on only one occasion, which is why to assume a prolific match, despite it being a friendly, is to take a big risk. Azzurri favored in a match in which the total goals could be less than four.
Venezuela-Italy’s likely lineups
VENEZUELA (4-4-2): Romo; Navarro, Osorio, Angel, Gonzalez; Savarino, Casseres, Rincon, Machs; Rondon, Segovia.
ITALY (3-4-2-1): Donnarumma; Scalvini, Buongiorno, Darmian; Cambiaso, Jorginho, Barella, Udogie; Frattesi, Chiesa; Retegui.
POSSIBLE RESULT: 0-2
