As Italy gear up for their Euro 2024 Round of 16 match against Switzerland in Berlin on Saturday, manager Luciano Spalletti is finalizing his team selection. The winner of this encounter will face either England or Slovakia in the quarter-finals.
Spalletti is leaning towards a 3-4-2-1 formation, with several key decisions made:
Defense:
Gianluca Mancini is set to replace the suspended Calafiori in a three-man backline. He’ll likely be joined by Inter Milan duo Darmian and Bastoni, with Donnarumma in goal. Di Lorenzo and Dimarco are expected to occupy the right and left wing-back positions respectively.
Midfield:
Jorginho is favored to retain his place as the regista, preferred over Fagioli. Barella is assured a starting spot, while Frattesi and Cristante compete for the remaining midfield position.
Attack:
After being benched against Croatia, Federico Chiesa and Gianluca Scamacca are poised to return to the starting lineup.
Substitutes:
Zaccagni is prepared for a potential impact role off the bench. Spalletti is also considering introducing Bellanova on the right flank as a surprise tactical move.
The probable lineup for Italy: Donnarumma; Darmian, Mancini, Bastoni; Di Lorenzo, Barella, Jorginho, Dimarco; Chiesa, Frattesi; Scamacca.
Switzerland’s expected formation (3-4-3): Sommer; Schar, Akanji, Ricardo Rodriguez; Stergiou, Xhaka, Freuler, Aebischer; Ndoye, Embolo, Vargas.
Polish referee Szymon Marciniak will officiate the match, assisted by compatriots Tomasz Listkiewicz and Adam Kupsik. Facundo Tello will serve as the fourth official, with Tomasz Kwiatkowski on VAR duty.
Notable absences include the suspended Widmer for Switzerland and Calafiori for Italy. Players at risk of suspension include Freuler, Rodriguez, and Sierro for Switzerland, and Donnarumma, Cristante, and Pellegrini for Italy.
