Wednesday marks the return of the UEFA Nations League, with the semifinal stage of the 2020/21 campaign set to kick off on October 6. Italy and Spain, two of the four remaining teams, will lock horns in the first of two last-four showdowns in what is a highly-anticipated clash at the Stadio Giuseppe Meazza.
This game will be a repeat of their thrilling battle in the semifinal of the Euro 2020, which the Azzurri won on penalties. These two nations played out a 1-1 draw in normal time, with Roberto Mancini's men overcoming their bitter rivals thanks to Jorginho's decisive kick.
La Furia Roja will get a shot at revenge, and a deserved one, given that Luis Enrique's side were the better team in that Euro 2020 clash regardless of the full-time result. Will the 2010 World Cup winners get the final laugh in Wednesday's showdown or will the champions of Europe beat Spain once more? Here's a look at some of the key stats ahead of this UEFA Nations League battle.
Spain to become Italy's second-favorite opponent
These two European giants have faced off 37 times before, meaning Wednesday's clash will be their 38th encounter in history. This will make La Furia Roja Italy's second-favorite opponent, drawing level with France (also 38), with the four-time World Cup champions only facing Switzerland (60) more often.
Who are you backing to shine for Spain against Italy?#NationsLeague pic.twitter.com/Q2o1fCtgwN
— UEFA EURO 2024 (@EURO2024) October 6, 2021
What does their recent form look like?
Spain's recent record is not great, with Luis Enrique's side having won and drawn the exact same number of times in their last 26 matches (12 wins, 12 draws). This is outstanding because La Furia Roja only suffered 12 draws from the 74 fixtures that preceded this mixed run.
Italy, meanwhile, have drawn twice in three outings since lifting the Euro 2020 title at Wembley. Despite this, the Azzurri are currently on a 37-game unbeaten run, the longest streak in the history of the beautiful game, surpassing the record of 36 set by Brazil.
The interesting stalemates in this fixture
Did you know that three of the last 11 clashes between Italy and Spain ended in penalty shootouts? The most recent was the Euro 2020 encounter, which Jorginho and Co. won.
The last time Italy & Spain met...
— UEFA EURO 2024 (@EURO2024) October 6, 2021
Full penalty shoot-out from EURO 2020 #NationsLeague pic.twitter.com/7DiAGMSMDc
Italy's rock-solid defense, ft. the iconic Chiellini-Bonucci partnership
Saying Italy have become an impenetrable team under Mancini would be an understatement! Under their current boss, the Azzurri have kept clean sheets in 60 percent of their games.
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