After shaking hands with Northern Macedonia in their opening match, new Italian head coach Luciano Spalletti will try to earn his first win in Milan on Tuesday, where his opponent will be Ukraine. The Ukrainians will go into the Euro 2024 qualifiers as the second-placed team in Group C, while Italy are three points behind in third place, although they have one game less to play.
The Italian Football Federation lured Luciano Spalletti to end his self-imposed exile after Roberto Mancini left his position as Italy's new head coach. Spalletti, who led Napoli to their first Serie A title in 33 years just four months ago, returned to the coaching box on Saturday for the Euro 2024 qualifier against North Macedonia.
Against North Macedonia, to whom they lost 1-0 in last year's World Cup qualifying playoffs, Italy looked set to gain revenge after captain Ziro Immobile scored the opening goal in the 47th minute. However, Ennis Baldi ensured Italy could only leave Skopje with a point from a free kick late in the game.
Although Italy secured a playoff spot with a third-place finish in the recent UEFA Nations League, they will be desperate to avoid that alternative, and their hopes of automatic qualification will be boosted if they win Tuesday's match to leapfrog into second place.
Although the Azzurri Army lost their previous home game, the result was their first home defeat in a Europa League qualifier since September 1999 and underlined the success of Tuesday's hosts in their home games.
Since losing 0-2 to England in their opening Euro 2024 qualifier, Ukraine have embarked on a positive run that has seen them take seven points from three matches and now find themselves in second place. After back-to-back victories over North Macedonia and Malta in June, Sergiy Rebrov's side returned to action on Saturday with an impressive performance against the Three Lions in a game that was played as Ukraine are at war with Russia.
Arsenal's Oleksandr Zinchenko guided the ball into the net on 26 minutes, having received it from Yohin Konoplya, before Kyle Walker equalized late in the first half. Neither side could find the net in the second half and Ukraine celebrated the crucial point, which puts them in a strong position in Group C as they try to earn a fourth consecutive European Championship berth. The Ukrainians have never won in eight matches against Italy (two draws, six losses), but while a first win would be seen as a great achievement, their main task will be to collect a point from their trip to Milan.
Federico Chiesa and Lorenzo Pellegrini withdrew from the Italy squad ahead of Saturday's clash with Northern Macedonia, and now Spalletti faces two new injury worries. Roma defender Gianluca Mancini and Napoli attacker Matteo Politano have both left the training squad with thigh and calf problems. Spalletti has not chosen to call up a replacement for Mancini, with Bologna's Riccardo Orsolini having been added to the squad following Politano's withdrawal.
For the visiting Ukrainian side, Nikolaj Matvejko is doubtful for Tuesday's game after being forced off at half-time against England due to injury. Replacing Matvejko on Saturday is International Miami's Sergei Krivstov, who could get a start if the Shakhtar Donetsk Miners defender is unavailable in Milan. The Ukrainian side are hopeful that Chelsea winger Mykhailo Mudrak, who was substituted on 90 minutes of Saturday's match with a leg problem, will be given a start.
Italy's likely starting lineup: Donnarumma; Di Lorenzo, Scalvini, Bastoni, Di Marco; Barella, Cristante, Tonali; Zaniolo, Zaccarini, Immobile
Possible Ukraine starting lineup: Bushchani; Konoplya, Zabanyi, Krivstov, Mykolenko; Tsygankov, Stepanenko, Sudakov, Zinchenko, Mudrak; Yaremchuk
OUR VIEW: ITALY 2-1 UKRAINE Italy may be disappointed not to get all three points from Saturday's game, but we think they will turn that frustration into motivation for Tuesday's game. We're confident they'll make the most of their home advantage to get a second win in the qualifiers.
