Italy vs Spain Prediction, Betting Tips and Preview
It’s all eyes on Turin when Italy welcome Spain for a World Cup qualifier this Thursday. Read the match predictions to find out why Spain the betting tip to get their second Group G win of the campaign.
Italy vs Spain Preview
Italy got underway with a meritorious 1-3 away win in Israel but are second to Spain in Group G on goal difference after they trounced Liechtenstein 8-0 in León to assert their authority on this pool.
New Italy head coach Giampiero Ventura rolled out a 3-5-2 formation in Haifa but will be without the suspended Giorgio Chiellini here. West Ham’s Angelo Ogbonna or Zenit’s Domenico Criscito look to be vying for the vacant berth. In midfield, Luca Antonelli missed the call-up, so Federico Bernardeschi will be hoping to start on the left. Up-front, it’s likely to be Graziano Pellè and Ciro Immobile to lead the line.
Spain showed no remorse when stuffing Liechtenstein in Julen Lopetegui’s first competitive match and the head coach could try a similar setup here. That could mean an unchanged back four, though Nolito could be preferred to Thiago on the right of midfield to add more of an attacking threat. Diego Costa was flanked by Vitolo and David Silva last time and is expected to continue in attack, with Álvaro Morata set to start on the bench.
Team Predictions Italy vs Spain
Italy 3-5-2 formation: Buffon; Criscito, Bonucci, Barzagli; Bernardeschi, Bonaventura, Veratti, Parolo, Candreva; Pellè, Immobile
Spain 4-3-3 formation: De Gea; Alba, Ramos, Pique, Roberto; Koke, Busquets, Nolito; Silva, Costa, Vitolo
Italy vs Spain Betting Tips
- Italy have won 6 drawn 0 and lost 4 of their last 10 matches
- Spain have won 6 drawn 1 and lost 3 of their last 10 matches
- Over the course of their previous 10 matches, Italy have scored an average of 1.4 goals and conceded an average of 1.0 goals per game
- Over the course of their previous 10 matches, Spain have scored an average of 2.4 goals and conceded an average of 0.7 goals per game
- There have been over 2.5 goals scored in 3 of Italy’s previous 10 matches
- There have been over 2.5 goals scored in 5 of Spain’s previous 10 matches
(Photo by Claudio Villa/Getty Images)
Italy vs Spain Prediction
Italy can count themselves as unfortunate to have been knocked out of Euro 2016 by world champions Germany on penalties. The Azzuri looked out of sorts in a 1-3 friendly defeat to France last month but soon got their act together to secure a comfortable 1-3 win away to Israel.
It’s the dawn of a new era for Spain after Vicente Del Bosque called time on his managerial career. New boss Julen Lopetegui has hit the ground running, following up a 2-0 victory over Belgium with a runaway success against one of the group’s minnows.
These sides faced off in Euro 2016 where Italy came out on top with a 2-0 win but both teams have new managers, so a direct repeat of that result is far from guaranteed. In head to head stats it’s Spain who just edge Italy by a single victory. However, it is unusual for the home side to lose when these teams meet.
Spain will be desperate to put things right after looking far from convincing in France and they’ve come flying out of the blocks. The fact that Chiellini is missing for the hosts gives them an advantage which they’ll surely exploit and I’m tipping the visitors to claim a narrow victory in Turin.
Free Betting Tips
Match Prediction
Spain to win at 8/5 with William Hill
Over/Under Prediction
Under 2.5 goals at 8/15 with 888Sport
Correct Score Prediction
Spain to win 1-0 at 6/1 with 888Sport
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