Portugal’s U21 team could clinch a spot in the semi-finals of the European Championships with a victory against Italy on Sunday.
Rui Jorge’s squad earned a deserved 1-0 victory against England this week to open the tournament. João Mário’s second-half goal gave Portugal the narrow victory. The Italians, meanwhile, squandered a lead to Sweden, eventually losing 2-1 in their first group stage match.
PortuGoal previews Portugal versus Italy.
The Opponents
The young Azzurri are five-time champions at this event, more than any other country, although their last title came in 2004. They lost in the final in 2013 to Spain 4-2. The Italians finished top of their qualifying group, then overcame Slovakia in a play-off to qualify for this tournament for the 18th time in their history.
44-year-old Luigi Di Biagio guided this team through the qualifying stage having taken over the U21 squad in 2013 after previously being in charge of Italy’s U20 programme. Di Biagio enjoyed a solid career with Roma and Internazionale, among others. He was part of the Italian senior side that lost the Euro 2000 final to France.
Despite their opening loss to Sweden, Italy boasts a very strong squad. All 23 players belong to clubs in Serie A, but on the flip side they are the only squad in the tournament without a senior cap. However, Juventus midfielder Stefano Sturaro, and Inter Milan pair Lorenzo Crisetig and Cristiano Biraghi have played in the Champions League.
Tactical Breakdown
João Mário’s 57-minute goal was enough for Portugal to defeat England in their opening match. The Portuguese were not at their best and the match could have ended differently if not for goalkeeper José Sá’s late heroics.
Manager Rui Jorge credited his squad’s strong character and determination in defeating England. “It was undoubtedly a triumph of both talent and sacrifice. I told the players that before the start of the match. I know that they have that spirit of sacrifice but in a competition as demanding as this one you have to show it on the pitch when it counts.”
“Talent alone is not enough. Today my players showed their character, their will to win. When you display that kind of commitment, that passion, than it becomes easier to achieve a positive result. I really think we played well against a very strong opponent.”
The Portuguese manager said that he also expects a difficult match against Italy. "We know the quality Italy have. Their greatest strength is their defensive abilities, both individually and collectively. They transition from defense to attack very quickly which is a challenge for teams that like to control the match like we do."
Jorge used a fluid 4-3-3 formation in the last match, with Bernardo Silva acting as the ‘false 9’. The Seleção created their share of opportunities against England, however they struggled to hit the target throughout the match.
Benfica winger Ivan Cavaliero injured his right leg against England and was seen on crutches during Friday’s training session. He is a doubt for Sunday’s match. João Mário and Bernardo Silva both picked up yellow cards against England and will be suspended if they receive another against Italy.
Italian manager Luigi Di Biagio is expected to counter with a 4-4-2 formation. Midfielder Stefano Sturaro was sent off against Sweden and will be suspended for the match. However, Di Biagio has an excellent replacement in Lazio’s Danilo Cataldi. Palermo striker Andrea Belotti led the squad with 6 goals in qualifying. Domenico Berardi will also be one to watch. He scored 15 goals in 32 matches with Sassuolo in Serie A this season.
Probable line-ups:
Portugal: José Sá, Ricardo Esgaio, Tiago Ilori, Paulo Oliveira, Raphael Guerreiro, William Carvalho, Sérgio Oliveira, Bernardo Silva, João Mário, Ricardo Pereira and Carlos Mané.
Italy: Francesco Bardi, Stefano Sabelli, Daniele Rugani, Matteo Bianchetti, Davide Zappacosta, Federico Viviani, Danilo Cataldi, Daniele Baselli, Christian Battocchio, Andrea Belotti and Domenico Berardi
By Rui Miguel Martins
For more from Rui (twitter: @futebolfactory) check out Futebolfactory.com.
