🔴Live🔴BELGIUM VS ITALY- UEFA NATIONS LEAGUE 24/25🔴Live🔴LIVE SCORES & FULL COMMENTARY
As Belgium look to move on from their ‘golden generation’, they’ve endured a tough UEFA Nations League (UNL) cycle, with a place in a relegation play-off in League A likely the best they can achieve. Only a win will be enough to keep their slim progression hopes alive, but standing in their way are an Italy side that the Red Devils haven’t beaten in a competitive international since way back in May 1972 (D2, L4).
Their record doesn’t get much better when factoring in friendly meetings either (W4, D5, L16), albeit three of those wins did come on home soil. That should provide extra motivation for Belgium head coach Domenico Tedesco given that he himself was born in Italy, though he likely won’t need any as his side have now won just one of their last six matches in any competition (D2, L3) – placing him under pressure for his future.
Italy travel in good spirits, knowing a draw is enough to secure their place in the quarter-finals of this UNL cycle after an unbeaten start (W3, D1). The only blemish on that record is a 2-2 draw in the reverse fixture despite playing over 50 minutes with ten men, but Luciano Spalletti’s men responded emphatically by thrashing Israel 4-1 to retain their place at the group’s summit.
The Azzurri are therefore well placed to reach the UNL knockout stages for a third consecutive cycle, thanks in no small part to only ever losing twice in the league phase of this competition (W10, D8). That strength also translates to the road, where Italy have won both away matches in this UNL cycle – notably beating France – part of a streak of four consecutive such victories in this competition.
Players to watch: With Kevin De Bruyne absent, the recalled Romelu Lukaku is the only man still in the Belgium squad to start their last H2H victory back in November 2015 – his current four-match scoring drought for his country is the longest he’s endured since the summer of 2018! He’s scored 85 times for his country, while the entire Italy squad combined has managed just 47 – two of which were scored by Mateo Retegui in their last two UNL fixtures, including their second strike against Belgium last month.
Hot stat: Belgium’s last five UNL home matches saw both teams score.
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