Euro 2012 action Sunday evening comes from the PGE Arena, Gdanks featuring Spain v Italy.
The whole game is being shown Live on ITV 1 High Definition, with a scheduled 17:00pm (BST) Kick Off Time.
Welcome and thanks for stopping by to view our Spain v Italy Betting Preview from Group C of Euro 2012, where we have provided you with the very latest team news, head to head statistics, best betting odds markets and our free betting tips predictions on the match.
Current European and World Cup champions Spain head into this game having not had to come out of second gear during the qualification stage winning all eight of their scheduled group games, scoring twenty-six times and conceding just six.
Coach Vincent Del Bosque’s side didn’t exactly have the strongest of opposition in their qualification group with the Czech Republic the only side ranked in the top thirty of the official fifa world rankings and Italy should at least provide a much tougher test in this game.
Italy head into the game having comfortably won their qualification group winning eight and drawing two of their scheduled matches. Coach Claudio Prandelli’s side scored twenty and conceded just twice and quickly became a side many thought could win these finals.
However, their final preperations for this tournament saw them win just one and lose three of their four recent friendly matches and has obviously had many people change their minds and question whether this Italy side can make it out of the group stage, let alone win the tournament.
Spain v Italy Team News
Spain Team News : Spain won’t be as strong as they were during Euro 2008 as key players like David Villa and Carles Puyol are both missing from the squad through injury and Cesc Fabregas looks unlikely to be risked having picked up a strain during midweek training.
Probable Lineup : Casillas, Arbeloa, Ramos, Pique, Alba, Xabi Alonso, Busquets, Silva, Xavi, Iniesta and Fernando Torres.
Italy Team News : Italy also have casualties and will be without Giuseppe Rossi for the whole tournament. Andrea Barzagli has a calf strain and will miss at least the first two opening games and Domenico Criscito was kicked out of the squad due to match fixing claims.
Probable Lineup : Buffon, Bonucci, De Rossi, Chiellini, Maggio, Motta, Pirlo, Marchisio, Giaccherini, Balotelli, Cassano.
Spain v Italy Head to Head Statistics
Sunday evening’s game will become the 30th meeting between the two nations over the years and all the results of those previous encounters can be seen in our head to head statistics table shown below.
- Spain Victories : 10
- Draws : 11
- Italy Victories : 8
The last time the two sides met was back in Euro 2008 at the quarter final stage where with the score still 0-0 after extra time, Spain progressed by winning the penalty shoot out.
Spain v Italy Best Match Betting Odds
Spain will have an attracted a hefty sum of cash from people backing them to win the tournament and based on what we have witnessed from the La Roja in recent years it will take someone very special to stop them.
No surprise then to see the online bookmakers having Spain priced up as the clear favourites to win this game then, but their price does represent some value considering their perfomances and the fact that Italy lost three of their four recent friendly games heading into this tournament.
