While the hosts’ latest upset of a prominent European nation has given them a two-point lead in League A Group 3, the Azzurri’s victory over England means they can take the lead with a win in Budapest.
Team News
Hungary
- Though Marco Rossi will be without first-choice forward Roland Sallai, who missed another Hungary call-up due to a recent eye injury, MLS-based Daniel Gazdag filled in for Sallai on Friday and could do so again against Italy.
- Dominik Szoboszlai will also start alongside center striker and captain Adam Szalai, who will say an emotional farewell to the home fans in his final game for the Hungarian national team.
- Regular starter Zsolt Nagy is injured, therefore Loic Nego will likely start at right wing-back, while Milos Kerkez will look to improve on his senior debut in Leipzig by keeping his spot on the left.
Italy
- Having defeated England at San Siro with a somewhat improvised lineup, Italy are likely to stick with their 3-5-2 formation and comparable personnel.
- As midfielders Marco Verratti, Sandro Tonali, and Lorenzo Pellegrini, as well as winger Matteo Politano of Napoli, all withdrew from the squad due to injury, Davide Frattesi and Manolo Gabbiadini were called up as substitutes, with Gabbiadini ending a five-year international exile.
- Gianluca Scamacca was granted his fourth start for the Azzurri, replacing last season’s Serie A leading scorer Ciro Immobile, who missed out in Milan with a thigh injury. Scamacca might partner his former Sassuolo teammate Giacomo Raspadori if Immobile is unable to recuperate.
- Frattesi is competing with Roma’s Bryan Cristante for a spot in the visitors’ midfield. However, wing-backs Federico Dimarco and Giovanni Di Lorenzo are expected to retain their starting positions due to a lack of alternatives, as Cristante’s teammate Leonardo Spinazzola and the versatile Manuel Lazzari were omitted from Roberto Mancini’s most recent selection.
Possible Lineup
Hungary: Gulacsi; Lang, Orban, At. Szalai; Fiola, Schafer, Gazdag, Kerkez; A. Nagy, Szoboszlai; Ad. Szalai
Italy: Donnarumma; Toloi, Bonucci, Bastoni; Di Lorenzo, Barella, Jorginho, Frattesi, Dimarco; Raspadori, Immobile
Prediction Analysis
Hungary, persistent overachievers, are inspired by their first competitive victory over Germany since the 1954 World Cup. Following their previous exploits, they fear no national team. Injury-plagued Italy will fall short of securing the victory necessary to go to the Nations League finals, as they continue to be a squad in need of a post-Euro makeover.
Our prediction is Hungary 1-1 Italy