What: 2013 European Under-21 Championship Semi-final
Who: Italy U21 vs Holland U21
When: Saturday 15th June, 2013, at 19:30 UK Time
Where: HaMoshava Stadium, Petah Tikva, Israel
Azzurrini Shine In Dull Italian Football Sky
In recent years, Italy’s most fearsome opponent has been the Italian football system itself: Above all, a lack of trust from top Italian clubs in young players. As coach Devis Mangia recently told Inside Futbol, the lack of playing time at the highest level for the country’s youngsters is one reason Italian football is not at present living through its best moment.
Despite Italy being no country for young players, talented starlets continue to grow and develop, as the Euro U21 Championship in Israel has shown. Mangia’s men topped their group with two wins and a draw, playing attacking and eye-catching football. The former Palermo coach has led Italy’s U21s to their eleventh semi-final in the European Championship. Five times the Azzurrini have won the tournament, losing only once when they reached the final.
Mangia’s men blend a rock-solid defence (despite all the players in the backline, apart from Marco Capuano, spending last season in Serie B) with an attacking group of pure quality. Players like Lorenzo Insigne (who is currently recovering from an injury), Manolo Gabbiadini, Alessandro Florenzi and Riccardo Saponara can create something from nothing at any second. The team is well-balanced by the presence midfield maestro Marco Verratti, one of the few Azzurrini to have already stepped up to senior level.
The Boys Are Back In Town
The 3-0 defeat against Spain showed Holland coach Cor Pot made all the right choices in the first two games. None of the 11 players – all second choices in Pot’s hierarchy – who stepped onto the pitch against the Spanish proved to be worthy of a place in the Jong Oranje’s starting eleven. Striker Memphis Depay was an exception to the rule, however the fierce competition in Holland’s attacking line gives him few chances to be on the pitch again from the first minute.
“I still think the decision to change the whole team was the right one”, Pot said. “Our doctor and physio said you need three days to recover fully from playing and that's why I gave the first team a rest.” Amongst the regulars, only attacking midfielder Adam Maher saw some action against the Spanish, in the second half, with twenty minutes to go. However, things didn’t change, and Spain continued to dominate the Dutchmen and found a third goal in the dying minutes.
Pot is sure that “against Italy it is going to be a totally different game.” Different for the Azzurrini, who have already lost defensive midfielder Luca Marrone and are still waiting to bring back Lorenzo Insigne, while Holland have a fully-fit squad. Moreover, the Dutch are full of players with senior honours and international experience. For this reason Pot can still be confident about his team’s chances of reaching the final.
Recent form
Italy U21:
England 0-1 Italy (05/06; Euro U21)
Israel 0-4 Italy (08/06; Euro U21)
Italy 1-1 Norway (11/06; Euro U21)
Holland U21:
Holland 3-2 Germany (06/06; Euro U21)
Holland 5-1 Russia (09/06; Euro U21)
Spain 3-0 Holland (12/06; Euro U21)
Players to watch
Italy – Manolo Gabbiadini: After being a substitute in the first game against England, Gabbiadini scored a brace and was Italy’s key man in the 4-0 win against Israel that clinched a spot in the semi-finals for the Azzurrini after just two games. With 12 goals, the Juventus striker – who spent last season on loan at Bologna – is currently the top goalscorer in Italy’s Under-21s squad. Given the so far unimpressive performances of strikers Ciro Immobile and Mattia Destro, and the half-injured Insigne, Italy will count on his physical strength and powerful shooting to break Holland’s defensive wall.
Holland – Kevin Strootman: Strootman has been capped by Holland at senior level more times (18) than all the whole Italian Under-21 squad. In Israel however, the PSV Eindhoven midfielder has not shone as expected so far, leaving the spotlight to his lesser known (at international level) midfield team-mates Maher and Marco van Ginkel. On the pitch he will face a top-level midfielder in Marco Verratti, the brain of Italy’s side. It will be like a game of chess, and Holland need this all-action midfielder to perform at his best to checkmate the Italians.
Match Prediction
Both Holland and Italy have statistics on their side. The Jong Oranje have the best attack in the tournament, with eight goals scored in three games. The Italians have scored six, but conceded only one (a penalty) and boast the second best defence at the tournament, behind Spain.
On 15th August 2012, in the last meeting between the two teams, Italy defeated Holland at home 3-0, in impressive fashion. It was Mangia’s debut game on Italy’s bench and the three scorers (Insigne, Immobile and Alessandro Florenzi) are amongst the men the coach has brought to Israel. Looking back however at the last official match, it was Holland that defeated Italy 1-0 at Euro U21 in 2006 in a decisive group stage game, later claiming their first European crown, while the second came the following year.
Both Italy and Holland play attacking football. The Italians have more consistency, the Dutchmen more experience. The game is a 50-50 clash, but in the end Pot’s men will prevail.
Betting on Italy U21 v Holland U21? Don't before you've read our betting preview!
