Strongest possible starting XI for Italy | UEFA Euro 2020

Italy have a point to prove
Italy have a point to prove

Left-Back - Leonardo Spinazzola

Italy need Spinazzola at his best
Italy need Spinazzola at his best

Italy are largely well-stocked in most areas of the football pitch but do have their issues with full-backs. Leonardo Spinazzola does have what it takes to live up to expectations with the Azzurri but a lack of competition will put the onus entirely on him ahead of Euro 2020.

Leonardo Spinazzola is a dangerous left-back in his prime and can be a handful in the final third. The Italy defender may not have had the best of seasons with AS Roma but has the ability to be a game-changer in his own right.

With Italy's dominant centre-backs available for defensive cover, Leonardo Spinazzola will have to bring his formidable dribbling prowess to the fore for Italy. Mancini has placed his faith in the left-back during his time with Italy and will want Spinazzola to take it up a notch at Euro 2020.


Centre-Back - Giorgio Chiellini

Chiellini is Italy's leader
Chiellini is Italy's leader

Italy have historically relied on a fabled old guard to do the heavy lifting for them in some of the biggest competitions in the world. With Euro 2020 looming on the horizon, the Azzurri are set to give Juventus defender Giorgio Chiellini a leading role in their defence this month.

Chiellini is a seasoned campaigner and has done hard yards against some of the best players in the history of the game. The Bianconeri veteran makes Italy's defence virtually impregnable at his best and has been pivotal to the team's successes for well over a decade.

The Azzurri have relied heavily on experienced defenders in the past and Chiellini will have his work cut out for him at Euro 2020. The veteran centre-back is accustomed to being in the defensive spotlight, however, and will be intent on proving that age is just a number.


Centre-Back - Leonardo Bonucci

Bonucci has plenty of experience
Bonucci has plenty of experience

Leonardo Bonucci faces plenty of competition from Francesco Acerbi and Alessandro Bastoni at the heart of Italy's defence but his impeccable relationship with fellow senior statesman Giorgio Chiellini is likely to win him the spot.

Bonucci's composure often serves as the ideal foil to Chiellini's tenacity and his proactive approach to defending often makes Italy an excellent defensive unit. The 34-year-old centre-back is also adept with his long balls and will play an important role in Italy's passing game.

The Juventus defender has had his troubles this season but is usually his best self alongside Giorgio Chiellini. A strong centre-back partnership has always been a hallmark of the great Italian teams of the past and Roberto Mancini will remain secure in the knowledge that his team can rely on a seasoned and formidable defence.


Right-Back - Alessandro Florenzi

Florenzi needs to step up for Italy
Florenzi needs to step up for Italy

After a Serie A stint that started with a flurry of rave reviews, Alessandro Florenzi has ventured a fair distance away from the limelight at Paris Saint-Germain. While the headlines usually feature his more illustrious teammates, Florenzi's value to Roberto Mancini's Italy cannot be underestimated.

Alessandro Florenzi is perfectly capable of playing the role of the adventurous full-back and can be an asset to the Azzurri. The former AS Roma defender has scored some excellent goals over the years and may well pull a few rabbits out of his hat this summer.

The Italian right-back will face competition from Napoli defender Giovanni Di Lorenzo and cannot afford to put a foot wrong at Euro 2020. Alessandro Florenzi has plenty of experience on the big stage and will play a pivotal role in the Azzurri's fortunes.


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Edited by Aditya Hosangadi