UEFA Nations League

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Nations League | Third Place Playoff

Jun 18, 2023 at 2pm UK

De Grolsch Veste

Netherlands

2 - 3

Italy

Bergwijn (68'), Wijnaldum (89')
Weghorst (90+4')

FT(HT: 0-2)

Dimarco (6'), Frattesi (20'), Chiesa (72')
Dimarco (34'), Barella (90+2'), Acerbi (90+4')

How Italy could line up against the Netherlands

By Jonathan O'Shea | 4d

Sports Mole takes an in-depth look at how Italy could line up for Sunday's UEFA Nations League third-place playoff against the Netherlands.

After falling in the UEFA Nations League semi-finals for the second season running, Italy will take on tournament hosts the Netherlands in Sunday's third-place playoff.

An ageing defence was considered culpable for the Azzurri's 2-1 defeat to Spain in midweek, so coach Roberto Mancini may finally lose faith in some of his Euro 2020 winners, such as captain Leonardo Bonucci.

As Inter's Alessandro Bastoni withdrew from the squad due to illness earlier this week - and Lazio pair Nicolo Casale and Alessio Romagnoli were left at home - few options remain to undertake a radical reshuffle, though Torino centre-back Alessandro Buongiorno was called up as cover.

Bastoni's clubmate Matteo Darmian also endured Champions League heartbreak last week, but after both he and fellow full-back Federico Dimarco appeared from the bench on Thursday evening, they may now be drafted into the starting XI.

Mancini has switched between his favoured 4-3-3 and a 3-5-2 setup of late, and partly due to his lack of resources at the back he will revert to the former against a speedy Dutch attack.

At the other end of the pitch, Ciro Immobile makes way for Tigre striker Mateo Retegui up front, while Wilfried Gnonto and Giacomo Raspadori would offer more pace and variety if selected.

In midfield, Marco Verratti and Roma captain Lorenzo Pellegrini are the likeliest alternatives to the trio which started against Spain, and as Davide Frattesi picked up a knock in the semi-final, he may be one of the men to make way.

Italy possible starting lineup: Donnarumma; Darmian, Toloi, Acerbi, Dimarco; Verratti, Cristante, Pellegrini; Raspadori, Retegui, Gnonto

> Click here to see how the Netherlands could line up for this semi-final