Austria will attempt to do what 30 previous opponents have failed to do against the Italy national team: defeat the Azzurri in an official match.
As one of the most impressive teams in the Euro 2021 group stage, Italy are the heavy favorites in their Round of 16 match at Wembley Stadium, just one game away from setting an all-time record for consecutive undefeated matches for the Italian men's team . .
Italy put on a show in their opening three group matches played at the Stadio Olimpico in Rome. Roberto Mancini's side is blowing up the old image of Italian football based on refined, tactical, defensive mastery. Instead, his side has become an attacking force. The Italians move vertically and fast, sending many players forward in full-out sprints.
Those waves of blue shirts have proved overwhelming for the opposing teams. That's what awaits from the Austrian side who were not quite sure of progressing to their first Euro knockout stage during the group stage.
How to Watch Italy vs Austria
Date: Saturday, June 26
Time: 3 PM ET
TV: ABC
Streaming: fuboTV, ESPN App, PrendeTV
ABC will broadcast the match and the network can be streamed on fuboTV (7-day free trial).
The match is also available in Spanish through Univision's PrendeTV app.
Italy: "The hardest game awaits us"
This is what head coach Roberto Mancini called the round of 16 match against Austria. He is clearly hoping for an opponent who will make life hard on the Italians, as the underdogs are known to do in single-elimination tournament matches.
Austria was able to disappoint the Netherlands, who faced the best team in the group stage. The Dutch used an early penalty kick for the break, and despite a 2–0 final score, it was an even match.
"If we get ahead of Austria, things will get better for us," Mancini said while looking forward to the upcoming round. The winner of the Belgium vs Portugal match will await in the quarter finals.
How will Austria play?
Austrian German head coach Franco Foda, who is of Italian descent, may be tactically flexible, but his team has opted for a three-man center back formation during group play, in which the wing backs play an important role. .
Austria is undoubtedly a talented team, and the group stage has shown it, especially when the Austrians are on the front foot and attacking the opposition. Austria is in trouble when it relinquishes control and retreats into a more speculative stance. There can be no other option against an Italian team on a roll.
Austria's star player is David Alaba, who has played in that three-man back line, although he regularly performed high on the field for his most recent club team, Bayern Munich. His best and most productive position has been the subject of debate and will emerge again when he joins Real Madrid this summer.
Italy make changes
With qualification for the Round of 16, Mancini was able to rest most of his initials in the group-stage finale. He made two subs in his starting XI against Austria: Francesco Acerbi was confirmed to replace injured central defender Giorgio Chiellini and Marco Verratti took over for Manuel Locatelli, a two-goal scorer in the left side of central midfield. It will be interesting to see if the latter move potentially takes some steam off the Azzurri attack.
Don't expect the Italians to shy away from their high-speed, high-pressure game with quick combinations around the opposition penalty area. All three forwards will set the tone and the fullback will need to deliver a motivated performance with the help of aggressive play down flanks.
Italy-Austria starting lineup
The starting lineups announced by both the teams before the match are as follows:
Italy (4-3-3 left to right): Gigi Donnarumma-GK - Leonardo Spinazola, Francesco Acerbi, Leonardo Bonucci, Giovanni di Lorenzo - Marco Verratti, Jorginho, Niccol Barella - Lorenzo Insigne, Ciro Immobile, Domenico Berardi
Austria (4-2-3-1, left to right): Daniel Bachmann-GK - David Alaba, Martin Hintergeger, Alexander Dragovic, Stefan Lenner - Florian Grilitsch, Xaver Schlager - Christoph Baumgartner, Marcel Sabitzer, Konrad Laimer - Marko Arnatovic
Italy vs. Austria Odds and Predictions
Forward Marko Aranatovic is Austria's most dangerous attacking player and it will be interesting to see if Foda decides to start or bring him off the bench. That decision would make it clear what Austria's approach would be.
Either way, the Italian defense should be able to handle Arnautovi. And if the Italians can avoid any major lapses on the set piece, they should give their attackers a chance to decide the game.
Austrian resistance will be fierce, but Italy has the talent to come up with the magic moment it will need to advance to the quarter-finals.