Italy-Norway is a match valid for the group stage of the European Under-21 Championship and is played on Wednesday at 20:45: news, formations and predictions.
The reaction, in the end, was there. Italy managed to turn the page immediately after the painful and undeserved defeat on the opening day against France, beating Switzerland 3-2 on the second day of the group stage and obtaining a fundamental success in terms of qualification.
But because of those two goals conceded at the beginning of the second half, when the victory against the Swiss seemed to be already in the bag – the Azzurrini had closed the first half with a three-goal lead – the selection led by Paolo Nicolato will have to be careful of the so-called “biscuit” risk. Yes, because as we have told you here, if at the same time Switzerland were to beat France by at least one goal from 3-2 up, Tonali and his teammates would not even need to beat Norway, whatever the result. A rather remote hypothesis, as France would then be overtaken in first place. The fact remains that Italy will not be completely in control of their own destiny, given that they will have to concern themselves with what will happen in the other stadium in Cluj-Napoca, the ‘Constantin Radulescu’, where the challenge between Switzerland and France is scheduled. In short, so far it has been a rollercoaster European Championship for the Azzurrini, who are still among the main favourites for the final victory.
Italy are not masters of their own destiny
The reference can only be to the match against the transalpines, in which the absence of technology, unthinkable in such an important event, was decisive.
Sebulonsen v Switzerland
Italy were first denied a solar penalty and then in the final of the match not to validate a goal that Goal Line Technology, had it been set up, would certainly have detected. But now the chatter is zero, as they say in the jargon. The only objective must be to beat Norway, who are almost a goner but will do everything to avoid ending their continental adventure with zero points. Two defeats out of two for Leif Gunnar Smerud’s men, who failed to pull off the feat against France last Sunday: the transalpines needed only a goal from Olise (1-0) at the start of the second half to beat the Scandinavians, who had lost 2-1 to Switzerland three days earlier. The selector must reckon with an offensive problem, if we consider that in the last six matches, between official competitions and friendlies, his Norway have barely scored two goals.
Smerud will still go for the 4-3-3, with the offensive trident composed not only by Bobb – a young talent from Manchester City’s youth academy – but also by Botheim and Ceide, who in Serie A wear the shirts of Salernitana and Sassuolo respectively. Nicolato, on the other hand, should confirm Parisi on the left flank, one of the best on the pitch against Switzerland and author of the 3-0 goal, and Gnonto, who will support Pellegri in attack. Finally, the midfield duel between Turin’s Ricci and Roma’s Bove continues.
The prediction
Italy should start off strong as they did in the match against Switzerland, attacking the Norwegians from the start, who have so far proved to be not very prolific in attack and not very solid at the back either. The Azzurrini’s victory does not seem in doubt. But the fact that in five of their last six matches they have never managed to keep their goal unbroken makes us think of an eventful match, in which Norway could also score.
The official lineups for Italy v Norway
- ITALIA U21 (3-5-2): Carnesecchi; Okoli, Pirola, Scalvini; Bellanova, Ricci, Rovella, Tonali, Parisi; Pellegri, Gnonto.
- NORWAY U21 (4-3-3): Klaesson; Sebulonsen, Daland, Rosler, Wolfe; Mannsverk, M. Solbakken, Vetlesen; Bobb, Botheim, Ceide.
POSSIBLE RESULT: 3-1
