In the upcoming Euro 2024 qualifying Group C match, North Macedonia will face reigning champions Italy in Skopje on Saturday.
Italy has had a slow start to the qualifiers, having played only two matches so far. Their recent international fixtures in the Nations League did not go as planned, resulting in disappointment.
North Macedonia started the year with a win over Malta in the qualifiers, followed by a friendly victory against the Faroe Islands.
However, their hopes were shattered when they faced Ukraine in their second Group C match.
Despite taking a two-goal lead, they suffered a 3-2 defeat due to a remarkable comeback from Ukraine. Their next match against England at Old Trafford ended in a devastating 7-0 loss, making it their heaviest European Championships qualifying defeat.
Currently, North Macedonia sits second to last in Group C, just above Malta. While North Macedonia has conceded 11 goals so far, only San Marino, Gibraltar, and Liechtenstein have conceded more in the qualifiers.
However, they take solace in not having lost three consecutive Euros qualifiers since October 2015. They have also managed to score in each of their last six Euros home qualifiers, except for the match against Ukraine.
North Macedonia’s performance in the past 12 months has been relatively decent, with only the Faroe Islands failing to score against them.
Roberto Mancini’s tenure as Italy’s coach came to an end, but Luciano Spalletti, the new manager, has taken charge of the team.
Spalletti’s Napoli side dominated the Serie A and won the 2022-23 title. However, Italy’s performance has declined since their victory in the Euro 2020 final, with unsuccessful World Cup qualification and a 3-0 defeat to Argentina in the Finalissima.
In their first Euro 2024 qualifier, Italy suffered a 2-1 loss to England but bounced back with a 2-0 victory over Malta.
While England continued to lead the group, Italy focused on the Nations League, where they faced a 2-1 defeat against Spain in the semi-finals. However, they managed to secure a bronze medal by defeating the Netherlands 3-2 in a thrilling encounter.
Spalletti aims to improve Italy’s standing in the group as they face Ukraine in their next match. If they fail to break into the top two, Italy still has a chance through the playoffs based on their Nations League ranking.
The match between North Macedonia and Italy holds significance for Italy, as North Macedonia ended their World Cup 2022 qualification dreams with a 1-0 playoff defeat. The new manager bounce may work in favor of Italy as they seek revenge.
North Macedonia Euro Champ Qualifying form: W L L
North Macedonia form (all comps): D L W W L L
Italy Euro Champ Qualifying form: L W
Italy form (all comps): W L L W L W
Team News:
Visar Musliu, who missed North Macedonia’s defeat against England due to suspension, is available for selection.
Stefan Ristovski, the captain, suffered a head injury in that match but has recovered. However, he is currently not part of the national team due to issues with the head coach.
Darko Churlinov, Valon Ethemi, and Marjan Radeski are out due to injuries. Aleksandar Trajkovski remains a key player for North Macedonia despite being without a club.
For Italy, notable absentees from the Euro 2020 squad include Leonardo Bonucci, Jorginho, Marco Verratti, Domenico Berardi, and Gianluca Scamacca.
Ciro Immobile, wearing the captain’s armband, leads the attack in his attempt to revive his international career after battling injuries.
Uncapped goalkeepers Ivan Provedel and Guglielmo Vicario have earned spots in the squad, but Gianluigi Donnarumma continues as the primary goalkeeper.
Possible Starting Lineups:
North Macedonia:
- Dimitrievski
- Ashkovski
- Velkovski
- Musliu
- Zajkov
- Alioski
- Ademi
- Bardhi
- Elmas
- Trajkovski
- Nestorovski
Italy:
- Donnarumma
- Di Lorenzo
- Romagnoli
- Bastoni
- Dimarco
- Barella
- Tonali
- Frattesi
- Politano
- Immobile
- Chiesa
Prediction: North Macedonia 0-2 Italy
In Spalletti’s debut as Italy’s manager, they are expected to secure a victory against North Macedonia, who are still recovering from their defeat against England.
Although Italy may not score many goals, they have a solid defense that can shut out their opponents. North Macedonia’s star striker, Trajkovski, lacks match practice, which could limit their scoring opportunities.