Italy and England will raise the curtain on the new Euro qualifying campaign with the most anticipated clash on Thursday at Stadio Diego Armando Maradona in Naples. You can live-bet on the Euro qualifiers action by using our sportsbook.
Italy: Reconstruction
The two continent’s heavyweights have locked horns quite frequently in recent years. However, Italy has been the more successful outfit in these matchups, winning the previous Euro final at Wembley and the latest Nations League clash.
Head coach Roberto Mancini has made some interesting call-ups, including Mateo Retegui and Alessandro Buongiorno, who are set to make their debut appearances for the national side.
The European qualification group with England, Ukraine, North Macedonia, and Malta is not easy, but Italy should have enough to be among the two best teams. Italy last matches happened back in November 2022, when it won against Albania and lost versus Austria in two friendlies.
With neither side having played since December and the demands of this intense season on the players, an element of disjointed play is expected. It’s risky to include Italy in our soccer picks and parlays, so we will focus on the goals market.
Roberto Mancini has called up three uncapped players to the Italy squad, with Wladamir Falcone, Alessandro Buongiorno, and Mateo Retegui hoping to feature in the upcoming fixtures. The return of Federico Chiesa from injury will be key, but Ciro Immobile and Federico Dimarco are still sidelined.
England: Tough Schedule
England begins its Euro 2024 qualification campaign with a doubleheader of big matches this month, up against Italy and Ukraine. Gareth Southgate’s future was under scrutiny following the Three Lions’ World Cup quarterfinal exit in Qatar 2022. Still, the former defender resisted calls to resign as he looks to plot a path ahead of another major tournament.
England is probably the best team in this qualification group, so we should expect it to have its place in Germany next year. Gareth Southgate’s men showed a great attacking display in December in Qatar, bagging at least three goals in three of the opening four outings at the World Cup.
Harry Kane will be looking to become England’s outright top scorer, currently tied with Wayne Rooney on 53 goals, but another man could be the Three Lions’ biggest goal threat. Bukayo Saka has been phenomenal for Arsenal this season, the key to its charge to a likely Premier League title. He scored twice during the weekend, so if you’re betting online, you should back him to find the back of the net.
Gareth Southgate is likely to stick with a tried and tested formula on Thursday and will be able to welcome Reece James and Ben Chilwell back from injury. Ivan Toney has received a call-up but is unlikely to start, with Crystal Palace’s Marc Guehi also named in the squad.
Italy vs England Head-to-Head
Four of the last five meetings between these teams have finished level after 90 minutes. England has only lost one of its 27 major tournament qualifiers under Gareth Southgate. Four of Italy’s last six matches have seen a maximum of two goals.
England and Italy famously met in the Euro 2020 final at Wembley, with Italy taking home the victory in a penalty shootout. England drew three of its six Nations League games last year, so it’s no stranger to drawing games under Southgate. Italy is unbeaten in the last six head-to-head encounters with the Three Lions.
Italy vs England Match Information
- Match: Italy (0-0-0) vs England (0-0-0)
- Day/Time: Thursday, March 23, 3:45 p.m. ET
- Location: Stadio Diego Armando Maradona, Naples
- Italy vs England Live Stream: fubo.TV
Italy vs England Betting Lines
Italy vs England Picks and Prediction
England enters this clash as a slight favorite, priced at +145 on the three-way moneyline according to the latest soccer odds, while the goal line is set at two.
With these national teams not playing for some time and with a number of easier assignments further down the line in the qualification group, we don’t expect them to enter this clash all guns blazing. Recent encounters point toward a low-scoring match, but the line is set too low. Nevertheless, both sides will be keen to avoid a damaging first match-day defeat, so we expect them to share the spoils.
England are listed at +145 in our Vegas Euro Cup Qualifers lines. This means that if you wager $100 on England, you have a chance to win $145. Italy are +195, offering a chance to win $195 on a $100 wager. The implied probability attached to the betting lines gives England a 40.82% chance to win, with Italy at 33.90%.
