Preview: Belgium vs Italy
As Belgium and Italy clash at the Allianz Arena, both teams aim to extend their impressive unbeaten runs, with the Red Devils navigating injuries to key players and the Azzurri showcasing depth that carried them past Austria into this exhilarating Euro 2020 quarter-final.
Belgium
Thorgan Hazard's impressive 42nd-minute goal led Belgium to a win over Portugal, setting up a quarter-final clash against Italy. The goal came after a well-struck free-kick from Cristiano Ronaldo forced a diving save from Belgian goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois, and Diogo Jota's efforts failed to find the mark. At the opposite end, Romelu Lukaku's volley also missed the target, as both sides had several chances they couldn't convert, leaving Hazard's strike as the standout moment of quality in the match.
Having eliminated the title holders, the Red Devils maintain an unbeaten streak of six games in international competitions: DWWWWW. However, the victory came with challenges. Kevin De Bruyne was substituted early in the second half after a late challenge by Portugal's Joao Palhinha, raising doubts about his fitness due to an ankle injury. Eden Hazard, clutching his hamstring late in the game, also remains doubtful for the upcoming fixture.
With Roberto Martinez likely to employ his renowned 3—4—3 formation or its variant, 3—4—2—1, the tactical setup remains flexible. Romelu Lukaku, wearing the number 9 shirt, will spearhead the attack against Italy. He has been in fine form, scoring three goals across four appearances for the Red Devils, while covering a total of 354 minutes on the pitch.
Italy
The Italians failed to find a goal in both halves of the fixture against the spirited underdogs, Austria, which led to the game being dragged into extra-time. Plan B was activated after the attacking trio of Insigne, Immobile, and Berardi failed to deliver in 90 minutes plus stoppage time.
The Azzurri showcased their depth, as two out of five substitutes scored the goals needed to propel Italy into the quarter-finals of the 16th edition of UEFA's European Championship. Second-half substitute Federico Chiesa came on at the 84th minute and broke the deadlock eleven minutes later in extra-time, while Matteo Pessina doubled the lead ten minutes after that.
A goal by Sasa Kalajdzic with six minutes left on the clock—marking the first conceded by the Azzurri in 1,168 minutes—guaranteed onlookers a nervy finish after 120 minutes of play. The 2-1 win saw Italy extend their unbeaten run to 31 games across all competitions, leaving them with a sextuple of victories: WWWWWW.
Known for the 4-3-3 formation, Roberto Mancini is expected to return with the same shape on Friday, most likely with the same attacking trio of Insigne, Immobile, and Berardi, despite replacing all three due to their performance against Austria. Manuel Locatelli made an off-the-bench appearance to replace Marco Verratti, who failed to impress in the game, and could return to the starting line-up on Friday.
Team form
Showing the latest five games—giving you a quick look at recent performance trends. Teams in good form tend to do well in the next match.
Team Comparison
Side-by-side assessment of team statistics, including goals, attacks, and more. This allows you to directly compare key performance metrics. Analyzing these stats can reveal patterns and strengths that might influence the outcome.