Another international break is upon us, and the Nations League returns with Belgium facing Italy. Luciano Spalletti’s Italian side will take on Domenico Tedesco’s Belgian team, who held the Azzurri to a 2-2 draw in their last encounter at the Stadio Olimpico, mounting a comeback after Lorenzo Pellegrini’s red card.
Both teams see important returns to their squads. Spalletti welcomes back Nicolo Barella, who missed the September and October fixtures due to physical issues. He’s set to play in an unfamiliar role as a trequartista behind lone striker Mateo Retegui. Despite being on a yellow card, Gianluigi Donnarumma starts in goal, reaching 70 caps for the national team, equaling Sandro Mazzola’s tally. Giorgio Scalvini, Samuele Ricci, Lorenzo Pellegrini, and Gianluca Scamacca are absent due to injuries.
On the Belgian side, Tedesco will have Napoli’s striker Romelu Lukaku available again. However, the Italo-German coach will have to deal with several significant absences, including Thibaut Courtois, Kevin De Bruyne, Youri Tielemans, Jeremy Doku, Yannick Carrasco, and Charles De Ketelaere. Lois Openda and young Juventus player Samuel Mbangula will start on the bench.
Belgium (4-2-3-1): Casteels; Debast, Faes, Theate, Castagne; Onana, Mangala; Bakayoko, Trossard, De Cuyper; Lukaku. Coach: Tedesco.
Italy (3-5-1-1): Donnarumma; Di Lorenzo, Buongiorno, Bastoni; Cambiaso, Frattesi, Rovella, Tonali, Dimarco; Barella; Retegui. Coach: Spalletti.
