Italy vs Ukraine betting tips: Back the Blue and Yellow to add to Italian qualification woes
- Sergiu Baltuta
- 12 September 2023
Italy and Ukraine meet in the first of a Euro 2024 qualification double-header that will decide their fate and Sergiu thinks the visitors can pinch a point.
Italy, the defending European champions, are feeling the pressure as they attempt to qualify for the final tournament in Germany, where they will be defending the title they won in 2021.
Italy has won only one of their three matches in Group C and must defeat Ukraine on Tuesday night at Stadio Giuseppe Meazza in Milan in order to advance to the next round of the competition.
Italy has 4 points, 3 behind Ukraine, but they have a game in hand. The four-time World Cup champion appears to have developed a mental block against North Macedonia.
In Skopje on Saturday night, Italy drew 1-1 with North Macedonia in Luciano Spalletti's debut as manager, the team that eliminated them from the World Cup qualifying playoffs.
Ciro Immobile put the Azzurri ahead, but they squandered several chances before Enis Bardhi equalized with a free kick.
The loss last weekend made the qualification battle even more difficult, in a group where England is likely to finish first without much trouble (England has 13 points after 5 games and managed to beat Italy).
Suggested bet: Both teams to score
The Squadra Azzurra can only finish second in the group now, and the two games against Ukraine will be critical in determining who will qualify for next year's final tournament.
Due to injuries, Gianluca Mancini and Matteo Politano were unavailable for the Tuesday game. Federico Chiesa and Lorenzo Pellegrini were also unable to play in Skopje for the same reason. In light of these circumstances, Napoli's former manager called up Riccardo Orsolini from Bologna.
Ukraine will travel to Milan with high spirits after their recent result. In Wrocław, Serghei Rebrov's team drew with group leaders England after taking the lead through Oleksandr Zinchenko's goal.
Even though Kyle Walker scored the equalizer before halftime, Ukraine is still in a good position to qualify, especially if they get a good result at Meazza.
Italy have a strong record against Ukraine in their last eight meetings, with six wins and two draws. All of the draws came in friendly matches.
Half of the matches between the two teams were played in the European Championship qualifiers, and the Italians won all of them, scoring at least two goals each time.
The last time the two teams met was in September 2007, when Antonio Di Natale scored twice in Kyiv to help his team win 2-1.
Suggested bet: Ukraine +1 Asian handicap
