North Macedonia-Italy is a match valid for the fifth day of Group C of Euro 2024 qualifiers and is played Saturday at 8:45 p.m.: tv, predictions.
Only two and a half months have passed since the Azzurri national team’s last engagement. Yet there has been a small revolution at Coverciano since then. On a midsummer’s day Roberto Mancini resigned, officially ending a cycle that began in 2018 and peaked with the European Championship win in the summer of 2021.
A success that allowed him to “survive” a new world failure, with Italy failing to qualify for Qatar 2022, immediately dissipating the enthusiasm that had been created a few months earlier and plunging back into the nightmare of 2018. Mancini’s decision, but more importantly the timing – after a few weeks, the now former technical commissioner accepted the Saudi federation’s pharaonic proposal – as the Azzurri are awaiting two particularly important commitments. His successor is Luciano Spalletti, the main architect of Napoli’s Scudetto. The Tuscan coach seemed to want to take a sabbatical after his triumph with the Neapolitan club, but a call from the national team convinced him to get right back on track. Spalletti’s debut will take place, ironically enough, against North Macedonia, the selection that in March 2022 dealt Italy the coup de grace, eliminating them from the World Cup play-offs thanks to a goal by former Palermo man Trajkovski in the second half and throwing an entire nation into despair.
Northern Macedonia, you again
Almost a sign of fate, but there will be no room for memories. Italy is already languishing in Group C, where it is currently third – the top two qualify directly – behind England (full points and now uncatchable) and Ukraine, which has 3 more points.
Northmacedon Ristovski
The Azzurri have played one less match than the Ukrainians: in June they took part in the Nations League Final Four, a competition that saw them finish on the last step of the podium. In the two matches played in the qualifiers, on the other hand, Italy had lost in Naples to England (1-2) and beaten Malta 2-0. North Macedonia of matches played three and managed to get the better of only the Maltese. Otherwise, two defeats against Ukraine (2-3) and England: at Old Trafford it ended 7-0 for the Three Lions. Spalletti should continue to use the 4-3-3 of Mancunian memory but there are many new faces that the former Napoli coach has decided to call up, from Casale to Zaccagni. With 24 hours to go before the Skopje match, Chiesa is injured: in his place, Politano should play in the trident along with Raspadori and Immobile. Ballot in the middle between Locatelli and Cristante.
The prediction
It’s hard to imagine Italy turning into the overflowing Napoli of last year in a matter of days, but it’s undeniable that Spalletti’s arrival has brought that breath of fresh air that the environment has long needed. Victory is needed with bread for the Azzurri to try to retake Ukraine in the standings, and it should come without major problems against North Macedonia in a match in which the overall goals are likely to be at least three.
The probable lineups of North Macedonia-Italy
- NORTH MACEDONIA (4-2-3-1): Dimitrievski; Zaykov, Velkovski, Musliu, Aliovski; Atanasov, Ademi; Elmas, Bardhi, Trajkovski; Miovski.
- ITALY (4-3-3): Donnarumma; Di Lorenzo, Mancini, Bastoni, Dimarco; Barella, Cristante, Tonali; Raspadori, Immobile, Politano.
POSSIBLE RESULT: 1-3
