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Italy will be hoping to keep their slim chance of winning the inaugural UEFA Nations League alive when they welcome the reigning European champions Portugal to the San Siro on Saturday.
The Italians are sitting in the second spot with 4 points from 3 matches, trailing their opponents by 2 points and a game in hand. A win for the Italians will see them leapfrog Portugal to the first place and hope that the Portuguese lose their final match against Poland.
The Italians had lost their previous encounter with the Portuguese in the second match week of the Nations League.
Italy v Portugal: Kick-off Information
Date: 17 November 2018
Time: 21:45 (local time), 01:15 am (IST)
Venue: San Siro, Milan
Livestream: SonyLIV
Italy v Portugal: Team News
Juventus winger Federico Bernadeschi has withdrawn from the squad owing to injury while Sandro Tonali, Stefano Sensi and Vicenzo Grifo have been called up for the first time.
Portugal will be once again without their talismanic forward Cristiano Ronaldo while Raphael Guerrero, Jose Fonte, Andre Gomes and Joao Mario are all back for the reigning European champions.
Italy v Portugal: Predicted XI
Italy: Donnarumma, Florenzi, Bonucci, Chiellini, Biraghi, Veratti, Jorginho, Barella, Chiesa, Insigne, Immobile
Portugal: Rui Patricio, Cancelo, Pepe, Ruben Dias, Rui, Neves, Carvalho, Rafa Silva, Pizzi, Bernardo Silva, Andre Silva
Italy v Portugal: Head to Head
Italy: 18 wins
Portugal: 6 wins
Draw: 2
Italy v Portugal: Form Guide
Italy: W-D-L-D-D
Portugal: W-W-W-W-L
Italy v Portugal: Prediction
Portugal has not been affected by the absence of their captain Cristiano Ronaldo as the reigning European champions have been quite impressive in the Nations League campaign so far, winning both of their matches.
Italy, on the other hand, is yet to reach their heights since their elimination from the 2018 World Cup qualifier against Sweden. The last match against Poland was the best ever match under coach Roberto Mancini.
Prediction: Italy 1-2 Portugal
