Italy vs Argentina – Preview, H2H, Line-ups, Prediction | World Finalissima

Lionel Messi-Argentina 1

Euro 2020 winners Italy will face 2020 Copa America winners Argentina this Wednesday in the inaugural ‘La Finalissima’ which will be played in London.

Venue: Wembley Stadium (London)

Key Statistics

Italy have kept just one clean sheet in their last six games.

They have lost just one of their last six games in all competitions (two wins and two draws).

Argentina have not conceded more than once in any of their last 18 games.

They have kept 12 clean sheets in their last 18 games.

La Albiceleste are unbeaten in 31 internationals.

Head to head

Argentina have a good recent record against Italy, having won three of the last three games between both sides. But overall, they have lost six times against Mancini’s side winning four times and drawing five times.

Latest performances in all competitions 

Italy: W-L-D-D-W

Argentina: D-W-W-W-D

Italy 

Italy will look to win the first edition of ‘La Finalissima’ this Wednesday when they face Argentina at Wembley.

The Euro 2020 winners have happy memories in this stadium as it was at Wembley that they beat England on penalties to win the European Championship last year. 

They will now look to add another international Super Cup, with this cup a renewal of the abolished Artemio Franchi Cup, which was last played in 1993. A win here will at least soothe some of the wounds they sustained when they narrowly missed out on the 2022 FIFA World Cup as they were beaten 1-0 by North Macedonia.

Since losing that game, they have played Turkey in a friendly, narrowly winning 3-2. Such form will be a worry for Roberto Mancini’s side who have lost two major games since their European Championship win last year. 

Possible Italy starting line-up

Gianluigi Donnarumma; Alessandro Florenzi, Leonardo Bonucci, Giorgio Chiellini, Emerson Palmieri; Nicolo Barella, Jorginho, Marco Verratti; Nicolo Zaniolo, Ciro Immobile, Lorenzo Insigne.

Injured: None 

Doubtful: None 

Suspended: None 

Argentina

Meanwhile, Argentina will be desperate to win this trophy on European soil.

The South Americans are currently one of the most in-form teams in world football as they come into this tie unbeaten in 31 games. They have qualified for the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar without losing a game in the WCQs and are hunting down Italy’s world record 37-game haul without defeat.

And so, they enter this match as slight favourites and will be buoyed by their 100% win rate against Italy in their three encounters during this century.

Given that they have kept 12 clean sheets in their last 18 games, they will fancy their chances of getting a win in this game.  

Possible Argentina starting line-up

Emi Martinez; Nahuel Molina, Cristian Romero, Nicolas Otamendi, Marcos Acuna; Rodrigo De Paul, Guido Rodriguez, Giovanni Lo Celso; Lionel Messi, Angel Correa, Angel Di Maria.

Injured: None  

Doubtful: None 

Suspended: None 

Prediction

Italy 0-2 Argentina