Italy
WC Qualification Europe
Group Stage
Thu , Mar 25 , 2021 20:45
2 - 0
Northern Ireland
Italy
Northern Ireland
2 - 0
Italy starts qualification campaign for Qatar 2022 underway on Thursday, as the Azzurri face Northern Ireland at Parma's Stadio Ennio Tardini. Read our reasons for Italy vs Northern Ireland prediction and betting tips.
Italy CT Roberto Mancini is delighted Daniele De Rossi has joined the national team’s staff and said he is waiting for Inter players who had problems with coronavirus recently. The local health authority banned Inter players from joining their national teams last week after four COVID cases emerged in the group. “We’ll see what will happen [with Italian players]," Mancini said at a press conference. “I’ve heard Inter’s international players can leave. We are optimistic they can join us. For this reason, we picked many players, we didn’t know which situation we would have faced.” Alessandro Bastoni, Nicolò Barella, and Stefano Sensi are included in Mancini’s 38-man squad for the upcoming matches against Northern Ireland, Bulgaria, and Lithuania. “The first game will be the most difficult one because we haven’t played for the last five months. We’ll face a very physical team. We can make no mistakes in the World Cup qualifiers. We need a strong start," Mancini claimed. “We are struggling a little bit because we are without Jorginho, and Cristante may return home. Let’s see what happens with Inter players. I am sorry for Italian clubs eliminated from European competitions. I always hope they can go all the way through the final, given that many players are part of this national team," the coach continued.
Atalanta defender Rafael Toloi has received his first Italy call-up, while Daniele De Rossi has joined the Azzurri's technical staff. “Toloi plays in a team that presses high up the pitch and usually keeps a high defensive line. I don’t think he will struggle to settle in,” Mancini said. “This is our last meeting before the EURO, and I wanted to know him. Watch a player or coach him are entirely different things. He may be helpful for us. I have no doubts he will settle in well. As for De Rossi. We spoke some time ago when he decided to join Boca. We are happy to have him here. He was a significant player in Italian football, and he will give us more experience. I think it was the right choice for both of us.”
Italy: Donnarumma; Emerson, Bonucci, Bastoni, Florenzi; Locatelli, Verratti, Barella; Insigne, Immobile, Chiesa
Italy's last two wins against Northern Ireland, 2011 and 2009, have both been via the same 3-0 scoreline. Italy scored four times without reply in a recent game against Estonia and Northern Ireland let in two goals in their last away game against Austria so the visitors could have a very hot Italian team to handle. In Northern Ireland’s entire history they have only managed three World Cup wins. However, they will face an uphill battle to progress from their qualifier group with Italy expected to top the table and Swizterland/Bulgaria expected to battle it out for a second. The visitors have not qualified for a World Cup since 1986. Roberto Mancini has already warned his Italian side of the threat which Northern Ireland could cause them despite Ian Baraclough’s men only winning two of their last 13 games because of their direct style of play.
For Northern Ireland, Jamal Lewis is a major doubt due to a groin injury. Manager Ian Baraclough is set to make a late decision on the defender's fitness but will be relieved to have experienced Leicester City center-back Jonny Evans - though the defender did not train on Tuesday either. The Green and White Army have already lost striker Conor Washington due to injury and winger Jordan Jones was also forced to withdraw. Linfield forward Shayne Lavery has been called up and could feature at some stage, while uncapped Liverpool Under-23 goalkeeper Liam Hughes has also been added as back-up to first-choice Bailey Peacock-Farrell, who has been short of the first-team action at Burnley. Hearts striker Liam Boyce is not expected to join up with his team-mates until later in the camp, as he awaits the birth of his second child.
Northern Ireland: Peacock-Farrell; McNair, J. Evans, Cathcart; Dallas, Davis, Saville, C. Evans, Kennedy; Magennis, Lafferty
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Italy has scored 10 or their last 17 goals in the first half of games, including four in their opening half against Moldova back in October. BettingKick’s Italy vs Northern Ireland prediction: Home team win.
4-3-3
3-5-2
Italy
Northern Ireland
06.10.2021. | Italy | VS | Spain | 1-2 |
L
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08.09.2021. | Italy | VS | Lithuania | 5-0 |
W
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05.09.2021. | Switzerland | VS | Italy | 0-0 |
D
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02.09.2021. | Italy | VS | Bulgaria | 1-1 |
D
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11.07.2021. | Italy | VS | England | 1-1 |
D
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06.07.2021. | Italy | VS | Spain | 1-1 |
D
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02.07.2021. | Belgium | VS | Italy | 1-2 |
W
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26.06.2021. | Italy | VS | Austria | 0-0 |
W
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20.06.2021. | Italy | VS | Wales | 1-0 |
W
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16.06.2021. | Italy | VS | Switzerland | 3-0 |
W
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06.10.2021. | Italy | VS | Spain | 1-2 |
L
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08.09.2021. | Italy | VS | Lithuania | 5-0 |
W
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02.09.2021. | Italy | VS | Bulgaria | 1-1 |
D
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11.07.2021. | Italy | VS | England | 1-1 |
D
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06.07.2021. | Italy | VS | Spain | 1-1 |
D
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26.06.2021. | Italy | VS | Austria | 0-0 |
W
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20.06.2021. | Italy | VS | Wales | 1-0 |
W
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16.06.2021. | Italy | VS | Switzerland | 3-0 |
W
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04.06.2021. | Italy | VS | Czech Republic | 4-0 |
W
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28.05.2021. | Italy | VS | San Marino | 7-0 |
W
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05.09.2021. | Switzerland | VS | Italy | 0-0 |
D
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02.07.2021. | Belgium | VS | Italy | 1-2 |
W
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11.06.2021. | Turkey | VS | Italy | 0-3 |
W
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31.03.2021. | Lithuania | VS | Italy | 0-2 |
W
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28.03.2021. | Bulgaria | VS | Italy | 0-2 |
W
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18.11.2020. | Bosnia | VS | Italy | 0-2 |
W
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11.10.2020. | Poland | VS | Italy | 0-0 |
D
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07.09.2020. | Netherlands | VS | Italy | 0-1 |
W
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15.11.2019. | Bosnia | VS | Italy | 0-3 |
W
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15.10.2019. | Liechtenstein | VS | Italy | 0-5 |
W
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12.10.2021. | Bulgaria | VS | Northern Ireland | 2-1 |
L
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09.10.2021. | Switzerland | VS | Northern Ireland | 2-0 |
L
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08.09.2021. | Northern Ireland | VS | Switzerland | 0-0 |
D
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05.09.2021. | Estonia | VS | Northern Ireland | 0-1 |
W
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02.09.2021. | Lithuania | VS | Northern Ireland | 1-4 |
W
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03.06.2021. | Ukraine | VS | Northern Ireland | 1-0 |
L
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31.05.2021. | Malta | VS | Northern Ireland | 0-3 |
W
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31.03.2021. | Northern Ireland | VS | Bulgaria | 0-0 |
D
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28.03.2021. | Northern Ireland | VS | United States | 1-2 |
L
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25.03.2021. | Italy | VS | Northern Ireland | 2-0 |
L
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08.09.2021. | Northern Ireland | VS | Switzerland | 0-0 |
D
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31.03.2021. | Northern Ireland | VS | Bulgaria | 0-0 |
D
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28.03.2021. | Northern Ireland | VS | United States | 1-2 |
L
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18.11.2020. | Northern Ireland | VS | Romania | 1-1 |
D
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12.11.2020. | Northern Ireland | VS | Slovakia | 1-2 |
L
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11.10.2020. | Northern Ireland | VS | Austria | 0-1 |
L
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07.09.2020. | Northern Ireland | VS | Norway | 1-5 |
L
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16.11.2019. | Northern Ireland | VS | Netherlands | 0-0 |
D
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09.09.2019. | Northern Ireland | VS | Germany | 0-2 |
L
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05.09.2019. | Northern Ireland | VS | Luxembourg | 1-0 |
W
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12.10.2021. | Bulgaria | VS | Northern Ireland | 2-1 |
L
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09.10.2021. | Switzerland | VS | Northern Ireland | 2-0 |
L
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05.09.2021. | Estonia | VS | Northern Ireland | 0-1 |
W
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02.09.2021. | Lithuania | VS | Northern Ireland | 1-4 |
W
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03.06.2021. | Ukraine | VS | Northern Ireland | 1-0 |
L
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31.05.2021. | Malta | VS | Northern Ireland | 0-3 |
W
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25.03.2021. | Italy | VS | Northern Ireland | 2-0 |
L
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15.11.2020. | Austria | VS | Northern Ireland | 2-1 |
L
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14.10.2020. | Norway | VS | Northern Ireland | 1-0 |
L
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08.10.2020. | Bosnia | VS | Northern Ireland | 1-1 |
D
|
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Daniel Garcia is originally from Basque Country, and as a kid who grew up just a few streets from Mendizorrotza Stadium, the choice of Deportivo Alavés as his favourite club is more than obvious. Because of his studies, he moved to Madrid where he graduated in Sports Journalism. Daniel plays football on the weekends, but that does not stop him from watching all La Liga matches. He believes that the outcome of a match can be predicted if all the parameters are analyzed well, including form of the players and weather conditions. Currently he is living in Belgrade, and is in love with a Serbian girl who works as a journalist at one of the famous Sport Channels in Serbia.