Austria's Chances Against Italy: A Footballing Upset?

Austria and Italy have faced each other multiple times in football matches, including in the European Championship and international friendlies. Austria has beaten Italy in the past, such as in a 2-0 victory in November 2022. However, Italy has also come out on top, like in the Euro 2020 Round of 16, where they defeated Austria 2-1. Italy has historically been considered the stronger team, but Austria has shown that they can put up a good fight and sometimes come out on top.

Italy's defence

Italy has a long and illustrious history of footballing success, with defence being the cornerstone of their triumphs.

Italian football has a strong emphasis on defence, with the country's tactical system, catenaccio, translating to "door-bolt" in Italian. This system involves a highly organised and effective backline defence, focused on nullifying opponents' attacks and preventing goal-scoring opportunities.

The Italian national team has won the World Cup four times (1934, 1938, 1982, and 2006), with defending highlighted as a crucial aspect of each victory. Over the years, Italy has produced some of the greatest defenders in football history, with players like Franco Baresi, Paolo Maldini, Alessandro Costacurta, and Fabio Cannavaro becoming legends in the sport.

Even in recent years, Italy has continued to showcase its defensive prowess. At Euro 2020, Italy conceded only one goal throughout the entire tournament, showcasing their solid defence en route to the championship.

The strength of Italy's defence lies in its organisation, tactical discipline, and patient defending. Italian defenders are known for their hard-tackling and ruthless approach, combining subtlety and brutality in their play.

In summary, Italy's defence has been a key factor in their footballing success throughout history, and the country continues to produce talented defenders who excel at the art of defensive play.

Austria's scoring form

Austria's most recent match was a 1-1 draw with Slovenia in the UEFA Nations League. Their previous match was a 1-0 win over minnows Andorra, with their frequent saviour Marko Arnautovic scoring in the 87th minute. Before that, they suffered a 2-1 defeat to Wales in a World Cup playoff, a 2-0 loss to France, and a 3-0 defeat to Croatia.

Austria's performance in front of goal has been underwhelming, and they have struggled to find the net consistently. They have only managed to score more than one goal in a game four times in their last 10 matches.

Austria's top scorer, Marko Arnautovic, has 34 goals from 105 international caps. He is their main goal-scoring threat, and they often rely on his mercurial presence. Other players who have found the net for Austria recently include Christoph Baumgartner, Stefan Posch, and Michael Gregoritsch.

Italy's substitutes

Italy boss Roberto Mancini credited his substitutes for making the difference, with Chiesa competing with Vincenzo Grifo to support Giacomo Raspadori up front. Grifo, who had impressed in a friendly against Albania, was the clinical finisher in that game, but Chiesa's greater experience may have been a factor in Mancini's decision to bring him on against Austria. Chiesa had recently returned from a major injury and was keen to make an impact.

Federico Chiesa had not been starting for Italy at Euro 2020 but went on to score key goals in the knockout phase, showing the importance of substitutes in tournament football. Italy's substitutes against Austria also included Manuel Locatelli, who had a shot off target, and Andrea Pinamonti, who was called up as cover for the injured Gianluca Scamacca.

The use of substitutes is a significant part of modern football, with five substitutions permitted at Euro 2024, providing managers with more options to change the game. Substitutions can be used to inject more energy and creativity or to shore up a defence, depending on the match situation. In the case of Italy against Austria, Mancini's substitutions proved decisive, with the Azzurri eventually extending their unbeaten streak to 31 games.

Austria's defence

In the Euro 2020 tournament, Austria managed to reach the knockout stages for the first time since the 1982 World Cup. They beat North Macedonia 3-1 in their opening game, their first win at a European Championship, and then defeated Ukraine 1-0 to secure their place in the knockout stages. However, they were eventually knocked out in the round of 16 by Italy, losing 2-1 after extra time.

However, they have also suffered some disappointing defeats and failed to qualify for several major tournaments. In 2018, they finished fourth in their World Cup qualification group, missing out on a place at the tournament. They have also suffered some heavy defeats, including a 9-0 loss to Spain and a 5-0 loss to Israel in 1999.

Italy's winning streak

Italy's unbeaten streak began in October 2018, and they have since gone 30 games without tasting defeat. This includes a 3-0 victory over Switzerland in the UEFA Euro 2020 Group A game, which saw them become the first team to reach the last 16 of the tournament. The Azzurri also beat Austria 2-1 in the Euro 2020 last-16 clash at Wembley, extending their unbeaten streak to 31 games.

The winning streak has been a remarkable turnaround for the Italian national team, who failed to qualify for the 2018 World Cup. During their unbeaten run, Italy kept 10 clean sheets and scored 30 unanswered goals over their last 10 matches. The team's defensive prowess was on full display, with their impenetrable defence being the only characteristic carried over from previous Italy teams.

Italy's impressive form has seen them win their Nations League group and finish as runners-up in the UEFA Euro 2020, losing to England in the final. They also beat Albania 3-1 in a friendly, with clinical finishing from Freiburg forward Vincenzo Grifo.

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