Taking the first step towards defending their continental crown, Italy welcome England to the Stadio Diego Armando Maradona for Thursday’s Euro 2024 qualifying Group C opener.

The Azzurri ensured that football would not come home when they defeated the Three Lions on penalties in the Euro 2020 final, but Roberto Mancini’s champions have since lost their sparkle.

Players to watch: Vincenzo Grifo was involved in all three of Italy’s goals scored in the November 2022 international break and he averages a goal involvement every 61 minutes for Italy. Equally as prolific, Harry Kane needs one more goal to overtake Wayne Rooney (53 goals) as England’s all-time leading scorer.

Hot stat: Italy have scored exactly once in four of the last five H2Hs.

Italy possible starting lineup:

Donnarumma; Di Lorenzo, Acerbi, Romagnoli, Spinazzola; Barella, Verratti, Jorginho; Berardi, Retegui, Grifo

England possible starting lineup:

Pickford; Walker, Stones, Maguire, Shaw; Henderson, Rice, Bellingham; Saka, Kane, Grealish

Italy form (all competitions):

DLWWWL

England form (all competitions):

DWDWWL

Italy 1-1 England

Having not linked up with their compatriots for a few months, rustiness may be the theme for both sets of players on Thursday night, and Italy’s attacking absences will do their hopes of extending their victorious qualifying home run no favours at all.

Avoiding a confidence-sapping defeat early doors may be the primary goal for both Mancini and Southgate here, so we can envisage a cagey, low-scoring draw in Naples.