Israel vs Italy Preview & Prediction | 2024-25 UEFA Nations League | League A Group 2
Click here for today’s sports betting tips from our expert analysts!
Following their promotion to League A, Israel have a shocker of a group alongside Belgium, France and Italy. They started with a comfortable defeat to the Belgians, whilst Italy managed an impressive come from behind victory away to France the other day.
KICK-OFF DATE/TIME: Monday 9th September, 2024 - UK – 7:45pm / US ET – 2:45pm / US PT – 11:45am
HOW TO WATCH ON TV: UK – TBC / US – FOX Sports
HOW TO WATCH ONLINE: UK – TBC / US – FOX Sports streaming platforms
ISRAEL PREVIEW: ISRAELI ISSUES
Under the management of Ran Ben Shimon, who took charge earlier this year so after Israel’s promotion to League A of the UEFA Nations League, ‘The Chosen Team’ started with a hammering in Belgium the other day.
Kevin De Bruyne gave the Belgians a lead after 21 minutes but Israel, against the run of play, scored an equaliser with an own goal from Timothy Castagne. However, De Bruyne completed a brace before Youri Tielemans completed a comfortable victory.
ITALY PREVIEW: JOY FOR SPALLETTI
After a disappointing UEFA EURO 2024 campaign in which the Azzurri were knocked out in the Round of 16 with a 2-0 loss to Switzerland at the Olympiastadion in Berlin. The Italians have started this UEFA Nations League campaign very well, though.
They fell behind after just 13 seconds when Giovanni Di Lorenzo had his pocket pinched by Bradley Barcola and the PSG forward finished well. However, Italy turned the game on its head with goals from Federico Dimarco, Davide Frattesi and Giacomo Raspadori.
ISRAEL TEAM NEWS: SLIGHT TWEAKS
Israel were comfortably beaten by Belgium the other night but there is a lack of genuine depth of quality in their team so the expectation is that they name an unchanged side as they face Italy.
PREDICTED XI (3-4-3): Gerafi; Nachmias, Shlomo, Gandelman; Yehezkel, Lavi, Abu Fani, Gropper; Solomon, Khalaili, Gloukh
UNAVAILABLE:
QUESTIONABLE:
ITALY TEAM NEWS: THE BACK THREE
Luciano Spalletti has chopped and changed between a back four and a back three but all of Italy’s good performances and results of late have been with the back three so they are expected to maintain that going forward. Riccardo Calafiori limped off the other day.
PREDICTED XI (3-5-1-1): Donnarumma; Di Lorenzo, Bastoni, Buongiorno; Cambiaso, Frattesi, Ricci, Tonali, Dimarco; Pellegrini; Retegui
UNAVAILABLE:
QUESTIONABLE: Calafiori (Injured)
ISRAEL VS ITALY PREDICTION
This match is being played in the neutral venue of Bozsik Arena in Budapest in Hungary so that does limit the home advantage that the Israelis would have hoped to have. Israel will match up Italy’s back three for this one but they will lack the attacking quality, despite the likes of Oscar Gloukh and Manor Solomon, to hurt Italy. Italy may have to be patient but, especially in a neutral venue, should come out on top.
ISRAEL VS ITALY TIP: ITALY TO WIN
