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Spain vs Italy Pre Match Preview
Pre Match
June 10, 2012 5:00 PM BST
PGE Arena Gdańsk — Gdańsk
Referee: V. Kassai
| PROBABLE LINEUPS |
SPAIN
 CasillasArbeloa, Ramos, Pique, Alba Xabi Alonso, BusquetsSilva, Xavi, Iniesta Torres |
ITALY
 BuffonBonucci, De Rossi, Chiellini Maggio, T. Motta, Pirlo, Marchisio, B'rettiBalotelli, Cassano |
Therefore, Chelsea striker Fernando Torres, who has been inconsistent over the last 18 months, will likely be given the nod by coach Vicente del Bosque to start up front, although Athletic Bilbao's Fernando Llorente is another option.
At the back, due to Puyol's absence, Sergio Ramos should slot in at centre-back with Alvaro Arbeloa at right-back. Meanwhile, midfielder Cesc Fabregas may not be risked from the start after picking up a thigh problem in the Copa del Rey final but Juan Mata and Santi Cazorla will be hoping for a chance in more attacking roles.
Italy have more than their fair share of problems, however, with an investigation into a betting scandal resulting in Domenico Criscito being cut from the team, first-choice striker Giuseppe Rossi out of the tournament due to ligament damage and Andrea Barzagli being sidelined for the first two matches with a calf strain.
Defender Giorgio Chiellini missed the Azzurri's 3-0 friendly loss to Russia, but has claimed he is fully recovered and should start at the back. Midfielder Daniele De Rossi is likely to move into a three-man defence as Prandelli switches from a 4-3-1-2 to a 3-5-2 formation in the hope of changing their fortunes.
Emanuele Giaccherini and Federico Balzaretti will battle it out for a spot on the left of midfield but Antonio Cassano and Mario Balotelli are expected to continue their partnership up front.
Head to Head
| International Friendlies (FR) | Aug 10, 2011 | Italy 2 - Spain 1 | |
| UEFA European Championship (EC) | Jun 22, 2008 | Spain 4 - Italy 2 | |
| International Friendlies (FR) | Mar 26, 2008 | Spain 1 - Italy 0 |
Last Five Matches
 Spain    | ||
| Jun 3, 2012 | Spain 1 - China 0 | FR |
| May 30, 2012 | Spain 4 - South Korea 1 | FR |
| May 26, 2012 | Spain 2 - Serbia 0 | FR |
| Feb 29, 2012 | Spain 5 - Venezuela 0 | FR |
| Nov 15, 2011 | Costa Rica 2 - Spain 2 | FR |
 Italy  | ||
| Jun 1, 2012 | Italy 0 - Russia 3 | FR |
| Feb 29, 2012 | Italy 0 - United States 1 | FR |
| Nov 15, 2011 | Italy 0 - Uruguay 1 | FR |
| Nov 11, 2011 | Poland 0 - Italy 2 | FR |
| Oct 11, 2011 | Italy 3 - N. Ireland 0 | EC |
Players to Watch
| Xavi | |
| POSITION: | Midfielder |
| SQUAD NUMBER: | 8 |
| GAMES | GOALS | YC | RC |
|---|---|---|---|
| 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
The Barcelona star is considered one of football's playmaking masters, but he'll be facing a worthy foe in Andrea Pirlo on Sunday. The 32-year-old will aim to dictate the tempo of the match better than his opposition at the heart of the midfield if he succeeds then his side should be set for a victory.
| Giorgio Chiellini | |
| POSITION: | Defender |
| SQUAD NUMBER: | 3 |
| GAMES | GOALS | YC | RC |
|---|---|---|---|
| 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Although renowned for their defence, Italy showed plenty of defensive fragility during the recent 3-0 friendly loss to Russia. The return of the Juventus centre-back should add some much-needed stability to the defence, whether it be four men at the back or just three.
Both teams are missing some big stars at Euro 2012, but the champions are going into the tournament on a winning streak, even if their last performances have not set the world alight. Meanwhile, Prandelli's men have lost their last three games and failed to score in each of them. If Italy play like they did against Spain last August few can stop them, but which Azzurri side will we see on Sunday? A betting man would probably say one that is not at its best.
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WATCH LIVE MATCH HERE
Posted by Unknown
on 11:40 PM.
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