Italy vs Spain prediction: How will Euro 2020 semi-final play out tonight?
Winners will take on England or Denmark in Sunday’s final at Wembley Stadium.
Italy face Spain at Wembley Stadium tonight in the first of the Euro 2020 semi-finals.
Italy have arguably been the standout team of the tournament so far, topping their group with 3-0 wins against Turkey and Switzerland and a 1-0 victory over Wales.
Roberto Mancini’s side then overcame Austria 2-1 in extra time in the round of 16, before beating Belgium 1-0 in a huge quarter-final clash. Spain, meanwhile, have at times underwhelmed en route to the final four. Luis Enrique’s team opened their campaign with a 0-0 draw against Sweden, before a 1-1 stalemate with Poland. They then found goalscoring form with a 5-0 thrashing of Slovakia, however, before putting five past Croatia in an extra-time last-16 victory – having blown a 3-1 lead in normal time.
Luis Enrique’s players then required penalties to squeeze past Switzerland in the quarter-finals.
Here’s everything you need to know about tonight’s semi-final, with England or Denmark awaiting the winners in Sunday’s final.
In a huge blow for Italy, left-back Leonardo Spinazzola – arguably their best player at Euro 2020 so far – ruptured his Achilles late on against Belgium. As such, the defender will miss the rest of the tournament and spend a few months on the sidelines.
Elsewhere in the Italy squad, a number of players have recovered from niggling injuries, so any selection headaches for Mancini will result from the impressive form of many of his charges, rather than physical issues.
Spain, meanwhile, look likely to be without Pablo Sarabia in their frontline, while Aymeric Laporte trained separately from the rest of the group this week but is expected to be okay to play this evening.
Predicted line-ups
Italy: Donnarumma; Di Lorenzo, Bonucci, Chiellini, Emerson; Barella, Jorginho, Verratti; Chiesa, Immobile, Insigne
Spain: Simon; Azpilicueta, Laporte, Torres, Alba; Koke, Busquets, Pedri; Torres, Morata, Olmo
Prediction
If this match follows form, Italy should arguably beat Spain comfortably. Semi-final fixtures tend to be quite cagey, however, and so a narrow win – either way – seems more likely. Italy 2-1 Spain.
Source: independent.com
