The Italy Lineup That Should Start Against the Netherlands
By George Cannon
Roberto Mancini's Italy take on the Netherlands in midweek as his side look to bounce back from a disappointing draw with Poland last time out.
The Azzurri currently sit at the top of Group A1 in the Nations League, one place and one point above their Wednesday night opponents.
They'll be aiming to extend their 18 match unbeaten run over the Oranje who they beat last month thanks to a Nicolo Barella goal. Here's how they should lineup for the game.
1. Goalkeeper & Defenders
Gianluigi Donnarumma (GK) - AC Milan wonderkid Donnarumma already has 19 international caps and has established himself as the number one despite only being 21 years old.
Alessandro Florenzi (RB) - The full-back made a surprise loan switch to French giants Paris Saint-Germain over the summer.
Leonardo Bonucci (CB) - Juventus legend Bonucci remains one of the first names on the team sheet at the age of 33.
Giorgio Chiellini (CB) - Chiellini is still one of the best centre-backs in world football despite being deep into the twilight years of his career. The national team captain is likely to return to his customary place alongside his club teammate at the heart of the backline.
Cristiano Biraghi (LB) - Fiorentina's well-traveled left-back Biraghi is back in Florence after a loan spell with Inter. He's currently locked in a battle with Chelsea's third choice left-back Emerson Palmieri for a position in the starting XI.
2. Midfielders
Jorginho (DM) - Chelsea midfielder Jorginho is a regular in Italy's midfield and will be hoping to earn his 25th cap on Wednesday night.
Marco Verratti (CM) - The PSG man is one of the Azzurri's most talented players but injuries have often restricted his game time for the national team. Mancini will be happy to have him back fit and will hoping to make the most of his world-class talent against the Dutch.
Nicolo Barella (CM) - Inter's 23-year-old midfielder provides the legs and energy in midfield to compensate for the more technical Verratti and Jorginho. He provides great balance to the middle of the park and is also prone to popping up with a goal.
3. Forwards
Federico Chiesa (RW) - Juventus' new singing Chiesa could feature in midweek as the 22-year-old enters a new phase of his career with added pressure now on his shoulders.
Ciro Immobile (ST) - Andrea Belotti started against Poland at the weekend but failed to impress as the Italian's drew a blank in Gdańsk. The Lazio striker bagged an incredible 36 Serie A goals last season and could start against the Netherlands.
Stephan El Shaarawy (LW) - The former Roma winger now plays for Chinese Super League club Shanghai Shenhua but that hasn't stopped Mancini from selecting El Shaarawy for national team duties. He scored twice in the 6-0 thrashing of Moldova and could start again in order to add more firepower to the Azzurri attack.