Switzerland and Italy are set to clash in the Round of 16 at Euro 2024 on June 29, 2024, at the iconic Olympiastadion in Berlin.
The winner of this match will advance to face either England or Slovakia in the quarter-finals.
Switzerland comes into the knockout phase after an unbeaten run in the group stage. They narrowly missed out on topping Group A, finishing just below Germany following a dramatic late equalizer by Niclas Fullkrug in their final group match.
Despite this, Murat Yakin’s team has shown resilience and has made it to the elimination rounds in each of the last six major tournaments. However, their record in the last-16 matches remains a challenge, with only one successful quarter-final progression in recent history.
Italy’s path to the knockout stage was equally dramatic. After a rocky start in the group stage, which included a defeat to Spain, they managed to secure a crucial point against Croatia thanks to a last-minute goal by Mattia Zaccagni.
This result allowed them to advance from Group B by the narrowest of margins. Despite recent struggles, including missing out on the 2022 World Cup, Italy has consistently reached the quarter-finals in the Euros since 2004.
Team changes will be necessary for both sides due to suspensions. Switzerland’s Leonidas Stergiou is front runner to replace Silvan Widmer, while Italy’s Gianluca Mancini is expected to step in for Riccardo Calafiori.
Key players such as Granit Xhaka and Breel Embolo for Switzerland, and Gianluigi Donnarumma and Federico Chiesa for Italy, will be crucial in determining the outcome of this tightly contested match.
A cautious and tactical game is anticipated, with both teams familiar with each other’s play styles and strengths.
Switzerland has drawn more European Championship matches than any other nation since Euro 2016, and Italy has a history of knockout matches going into extra time.
The match could very well be decided by penalties, with Switzerland looking to capitalize on Italy’s recent struggles from the spot.
Prediction: Italy 2-1 Win
Visit https://fortebet.ug/#/app/registration to sign up and bet on ForteBet.
