Italy VS Turkey, the opening game of UEFA EURO 2020 – teams face each other in Rome. Read our preview, which will help you to pick a winner.
Italy VS Turkey, the opening game of UEFA EURO 2020 – teams face each other in Rome. Read our preview, which will help you to pick a winner.
Turkey and Italy will have the honor of opening the EURO 2020 on Friday night in Rome. Finally, the long-awaited competition is about to start and to be honest, we are more than thrilled. All the delays due to COVID-19, the speculations about the formant, and the circumstances surrounding the tournament, and many other factors would only increase our desire to see some good football. We don’t need to say that the Italians are the favorites here, but matches like these have often delivered some huge surprises.
Azzurri didn’t lose in the previous 27 matches, posting 22 victories and five draws. We need to say that this unit is in the best shape of all the teams at the EURO. Somehow, that data flies under the media radar these days.
As always, Italy plays cautious, and their defense is the primary weapon. We need to say that the backline with Chiellini and Bonucci in charge kept its net intact in nine of the previous 10 games, which is impressive, regardless of the opponents. But that is Italy’s style of play, their trademark, and something this nation perfected throughout history.
Also, Roberto Mancini’s unit recorded eight straight victories, scoring two or more goals in all of them. Ciro Immobile and Lorenzo Insigne have created a very solid duo upfront, which could be one of the most efficient tandems at this championship.
With only two losses in the past 15 games, many would say that the Turks come to Rome in solid shape. But do know that they had seven draws throughout that period. It was only recently that the Lions from Bosporus began recording triumphs, having three in the most recent five contests.
This team plays interesting and open football, with lots of goals, usually on both ends. Turkey often oscillates, and here is one example. They trashed the Netherlands at home, 4-2, before rolling over Norway on the road, 0-3, but afterward played just 3-3 vs. Latvia at home.
Hakan Chalhanogly and Burak Yilmaz are the two key players up front, with the first organizing the game, and the second scoring goals.
Turkey: Çakır; Çelik, Demiral, Söyüncü, Meraş; Yokuşlu, Tufan, Çalhanoğlu, Kenan; Ünder, Yılmaz
Italy: Donnarumma; Florenzi, Bonucci, Chiellini, Spinazzola; Barella, Jorginho, Locatelli; Berardi, Immobile, Insigne.
The previous two games took place in 2006 and 2002, and both were friendly international and ended with the same result, 1-1.
In our opinion, the Italians are a better team, and there are several reasons for that. The first is the current form, with them being superb over the previous two years. Secondly, they are better as a unit and have more superstars than the rivals, and also, play at home, which could be a massive edge in this event. Our pick here would be Italy to win, with quite the solid odds at the moment. Any other outcome would be a big surprise.