On Saturday, at 19:45, Italy will receive the visit of Finland’s similar representative in a match for the first round of the European Championship preliminaries in 2020. The match will take place at the “Dacia Arena” stadium in Udine.
Although he ended the League of Nations League with two defeats, the Finnish team managed to finish the first place a very difficult group, including the selections of Hungary, Greece and Estonia. Beginning with a series of games, four wins of as many as possible, they have achieved a well-deserved promotion in League B. We can not speak with the same laudatory terms about Italy’s selection, which, after failing to qualify for the Russian World Cup, in the League of Nations. “Squadra azzurra” took advantage of the very poor form of the Polish national, because otherwise, if he had encountered some more motivated opponents, he could have easily retreated to League B.
Here, however, we are talking about games of some great importance. The preliminaries for the Euro debut for Mancini’s band against a Finland that is not out of the ordinary and does not even think it should be done in the Italian realm. Alongside the pillars of the middle line, Verratti (PSG) and Jorginho (Chelsea), Mancini is based on players who are evolving in the domestic championship. Here, we find both veterans, such as Quagliarella or Immobile, and young prospects, Zaniolo (AS Roma, 19) or Moise Kean (Juventus, 19).
Given the circumstances of this game, we expect a solid evolution of our favorites. Even if the Italian representation is still in a reconstruction process, we think the value difference should be the word. The Finns, no matter how solid and well-organized they would have been ahead of similar league teams in the League, should not receive too much chance Saturday night at Udine in an extremely important match for the hosts.
PREDICTION: Under 2,5 goals @ 1,72
