EURO 2020 is just behind the corner, and we are just one day away from the first kick-off at this tournament. Stadio Olimpico in Rome will be the venue of the opening game between Italy and Turkey. The funny thing is that the Turks are the nominal hosts, and Italy stands as the visitor. But why not, in this crazy world, everything is possible. BetXChange brings a preview for this match, because it is the only one on Friday, May 11th.
Preview
Turkey is a very nasty team, and their unpredictable behavior is, in fact, their biggest strength. You can never be too sure how they are going to play. For instance, they defeat the Netherlands 4-2 and Norway 0-3 on the road and then return home to meet Latvia and get just a draw, 3-3. In short, this is the Turkish team. Able to beat very good teams, but also capable of delivering massive disappointments.
Fantastic Burak Yilmaz exploded last season, leading LOSC Lille to a title in the French Ligue 1, living his swan song at the age of 35. He was also the focal figure in Turkey’s excellent performances during the start of the World Cup qualifiers.
Senol Gunes’ boys are playing modern football with lots of running, and very good transformation. However, they are a bit reckless in certain situations, which usually costs them a lot. They often score and allow goals, making their matches interesting to watch.
Italy is coming to EURO as the favorite to win the same. Azzuri are among the best teams in the competition and are by far in the best shape according to the recent results. We need to point out that Italy has 27 consecutive matches without a loss, and that in 20 of them, they haven’t allowed a single goal.
Thought, that is something normal for this nation throughout history. Italy’s defense is a standard for good, and after all, they invented and perfected defensive-minded tactics, so for us, this isn’t too surprising.
Their squad is a mix of experienced and young players, with those older ones being dominant in the defensive part of the crew. There aren’t too many defensive guys in Italy with 30 or fewer years. Controlling the ball and the tempo, trying to slow down the game, and waiting for set-pieces are Italy’s main objectives in one match.
Head to Head
Turkey and Italy played before 15 years, in one friendly international game. The result was 1-1.
Prediction
This match won’t be nice for watching at all because of its high importance. We are more than sure that neither side wants to open and attack the rivals, decreasing overall efficiency. Still, Italy has a much better team for us, and their win shouldn’t be questioned. They play at home too, which is another significant factor that needs to be taken into consideration. With all due respect to the Turkish team, we find it hard to believe that they could stay undefeated on Friday night.
Pick: Italy to win at 0.50 at BetXChange
