The tie of the round from the Euro 2020 quarter-finals takes place on Friday night as two of the competition favourites Belgium and Italy meet in Munich.
☝️ What one thing should I keep an eye on?
The fitness issues to key players in the Belgium camp which may prove costly.
Both Eden Hazard and Kevin De Bruyne are doubts and while it seems that the Manchester City man will start, it remains to be seen if he’ll be in top condition. Italy, by contrast, are enjoying the luxury of being able to bring Giorgio Chiellini and Federico Chiesa back into the team.
🔑 Can you give me a key player from each team?
Romelu Lukaku
After a somewhat subdued evening against Portugal, the fire in the belly will return for the Inter striker against a group he knows so well from club level. Notably, he also has an outstanding scoring record against Italy ‘keeper Gigio Donnarumma in derbies, scoring every single time he’s faced him.
Jorginho
So impressive has he been of late that he has even been answering questions about his Ballon d’Or credentials and while that may be beyond him, he will be vital in the Azzurri engine room for this one, where the returning Axel Witsel and Youri Tielemans will be charged with stopping him dictate the contest.
📊 Fun facts
- With his winning goal in the last round, Thorgan Hazard has now scored more European Championship goals (two) in three games than his brother Eden in nine appearances (one).
- After their 2-1 win after extra-time in Austria in the last 16, Italy’s unbeaten run stretched to 31 games, which is a new all-time record, eclipsing Vittorio Pozzo’s immortal side of the late 1930s.
🔮 Predicted line-ups
Belgium (3-4-2-1): Courtois; Alderweireld, Vermaelen, Vertonghen; Meunier, Tielemans, Witsel, T. Hazard; De Bruyne, Carrasco; Lukaku.
Italy (4-3-3): Donnarumma; Di Lorenzo, Bonucci, Chiellini, Spinazzola; Barella, Jorginho, Verratti; Chiesa, Immobile, Insigne.
