Italy Euro 2020 group: Who have they been drawn against?

Italy Euro 2020 group
(Image credit: PA)

The Italy Euro 2020 group will see the Azzurri face Turkey in the opening game of the tournament.

As the name suggests, Euro 2020 was initially booked in for last year, but the coronavirus pandemic forced UEFA to rearrange the tournament for 2021.

The competition, which will be held in 11 different cities in the same number of countries, begins with that meeting between Italy and Turkey on June 11.

The final will take place a month later, with England, France, Belgium, Portugal, Spain and Germany all hoping to be walking out at Wembley on July 11.

Group A

Italy

Turkey

Switzerland

Wales

Only Brazil have won the World Cup more times than Italy, so the Azzurri’s failure to qualify for the 2018 edition was a shock all over the planet.

Their absence from Russia means it has been five years since Italy last competed at an international tournament at senior level.

They outperformed expectations at Euro 2016, advancing to the quarter-finals under Antonio Conte and only losing to Germany on penalties.

Italy will hope to go further than the last eight this time around, with Roberto Mancini having rebuilt the side since taking charge in 2018.

Mancini’s side were perfect in qualifying for Euro 2020, accumulating 30 points from a possible 30 and scoring 37 goals in their 10 encounters.

Even so, Italy are not among the favourites to lift the trophy this summer - but the Euro 1968 winners should certainly not be written off.

Their campaign begins with that aforementioned game against Turkey at the Stadio Olimpico on June 11.

Next up for the Italians is a clash with Switzerland at the same venue on June 16.

The Azzurri will conclude the group phase against Wales, who will visit Rome on June 20.

Theirs is an open group featuring four teams who will hope to finish in the top two, but Italy are clearly the team to beat in this section.

FourFourTwo Staff

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