Italy take on Bosnia and Herzegovina in an international friendly on Sunday, and they will look to wrap up their Euro 2024 preparations with a win at home.
Italy are in an impressive run of form, and they will look to extend their unbeaten run with a victory over Bosnia and Herzegovina this weekend. The Azzurri will be the favourites to pick up a comprehensive victory at home, and it remains to be seen whether the players can step up and deliver.
Meanwhile, Bosnia and Herzegovina failed to secure qualification for the European Championships, and they are coming into this game on the back of a comprehensive defeat against England earlier this month. They will look to pull off an upset here against Italy, but it seems quite unlikely.
Sergej Barbarez is now the manager of the Bosnian national team after the departure of Savo Milosevic. He will look to rebuild the side and help them compete at a top level in the coming years. It will be interesting to see if he can get his side to dent Italy’s preparations for the European Championships with a positive result here.
Team News & Tactics
Italy
Italy will be without Alex Meret and Nicolo Barella due to their respective injuries. The Azzurri are likely to shape up in a 4-2-3-1 formation against Bosnia and Herzegovina, with Gianluigi Donnarumma in goal.
Giovanni Di Lorenzo and Federico Dimarco will start as the full-backs. They will look to help out at both ends of the pitch. At the heart of the defence, Gianluca Mancini will start alongside Alessandro Bastoni.
As for the midfield unit, Bryan Cristante will start alongside Jorginho in the double pivot. The two players will look to add defensive cover and control from the deep. Giacomo Raspadori and Federico Chiesa will start in the wide areas, and they will look to create goalscoring opportunities in the final third and get on the scoresheet themselves. Gianluca Scamacca will lead the line for Italy, with Lorenzo Pellegrini operating in the hole behind him.
Probable lineup (4-2-3-1): Donnarumma (GK); Di Lorenzo, Mancini, Bastoni, Dimarco; Cristante, Jorginho; Raspadori, Pellegrini, Chiesa; Scamacca
Bosnia
The visitors will be without Nikola Vasilj, Stjepan Radeljic, and Edin Dzeko. Bosnia and Herzegovina will shape up in a 3-4-1-2 formation against Italy. Kenan Piric will start in goal for the away side behind a back three of Anel Ahmedhodzic, Dennis Hadzikadunic and Nihad Mujakic.
Jusuf Gazibegovic and Nail Omerovic will start as the wing-backs. They will look to protect the back three and help out during counter-attacking situations. Benjamin Tahirovic will start alongside Rade Krunic in the middle of the park.
Haris Hajradinovic will start as the central attacking midfielder, and he will look to add creativity in the final third. Meanwhile, Ermedin Demirovic will lead the line for Bosnia alongside Smail Prevljak.
Probable Lineup (3-4-1-2): Piric; Ahmedhodzic, Hadzikadunic, Mujakic; Gazibegovic, Tahirovic, Krunic, Omerovic; Hajradinovic; Prevljak, Demirovic
Key Stats
- Bosnia and Herzegovina have lost the last four away friendly matches in a row without scoring a goal.
- Bosnia and Herzegovina have failed to win 16 of the last 18 away matches.
- Bosnia and Herzegovina have one win from the last seven internationals.
- Luciano Spalletti has five wins and three draws from his first nine matches as the Italy manager.
- Italy are unbeaten in their last five matches.
Player to Watch
Gianluca Scamacca
Scamacca has been in outstanding form for his club this past season, and he will look to carry that form and momentum into the 2024 UEFA European Championships. He will look to add to his goalscoring tally for the season here.
Bosnia and Herzegovina have a vulnerable defensive unit, and they are likely to struggle against the Italian striker. He will look to carve out opportunities for his teammates and get on the score sheet himself.
Prediction
Italy 3-0 Bosnia and Herzergovina
The visitors are in poor form right now, and they have injuries to key players. Bosnia are thus likely to struggle against the Italians here. The home team are the favourites heading into this game, and they will be full of confidence. Italy are on an unbeaten run right now, and they should be able to grind out a comfortable victory at home.