Italy vs Belgium Preview

Italy will look to continue their impressive run in the Nations League when they welcome Belgium to the Stadio Olimpico this Thursday.

The Azzurri have begun this Nations League campaign in style winning their opening two games by a combined score of 5-2, which included a 3-1 away win against France so given that they are among three teams that have made a perfect start in the current Nations League campaign, Italy should return home to face Belgium brimming with confidence.

The hosts have certainly made the Nations League their own in recent times, winning five of their last six games in this competition (L1), which should boost belief they can secure a third successive finals appearance. Yet to win this competition, the Italians boast an identical record from their last six games against Belgium (W5, L1). However, Luciano Spalletti’s men would be wise to approach with caution here as they haven’t kept a clean sheet in their last six internationals. Meanwhile, Belgium have kept just two clean sheets across their last six internationals. The Red Devils are in dour form ahead of their trip.to Rome having won just twice across their last six games (D1, L3).

One of those wins did at least come in this Nations League campaign, beating Israel 3-1 in their opening game before they were dispatched 2-0 by France after which boss Domenico Tedesco cited an “inability to convert chances” as a reason for his side’s downfall. The fact that there will be no Romelu Lukaku or Kevin De Bruyne in this squad certainly won’t help their quest to convert or even create chances, nor will a game against a fellow highly-ranked opponent.

Belgium haven’t won against a top-ten-ranked nation since June 2021, while in this competition, they have only ever beaten one such nation – a 2-0 win against England in November 2020.