Switzerland vs Italy prediction: EUROPE: Euro – Play Offs betting tips on match 2024-06-28 16:00.
[p]The first Round of 16 game in Euro 2024 takes us to Berlin, where Group A runners-up Switzerland will take on Group B’s second-placed side, Italy. The Swiss’ journey to this stage has not been an easy one, with their final warm-up game ahead of the tournament (1-1 vs Austria) proving to be the first of four straight games without a clean sheet (W1, D3), although they did come back to draw twice during that run.[/p]
[p]Another stalemate here would lead to extra time and potentially even penalties, yet perhaps Switzerland would take that outcome as it would at least be an improvement on their previous tournament clash against Italy, which saw them thumped 3-0 in the Euro 2020 group stage. However, it should be noted that both of their knockout eliminations across the last two Euros came after 1-1 draws in regular time before eventual defeats on penalties. [/p]
[p]Defending champions Italy looked to be on their way to a surprise premature exit from the tournament until Mattia Zaccagni netted a remarkable 98th-minute leveller against Croatia to sneak his side into second place. That extended their run to just one loss from nine international matches (W5, D3), hinting that despite an unremarkable showing at the tournament so far, they do have a platform to build on in what is their fifth consecutive foray into the Euro knockout stage.[/p]
[p]Italy have yet to be dumped out at the Round of 16 stage since it was introduced for Euro 2016, whilst they last were eliminated in the first knockout round back in 2008 when going out via a penalty shootout defeat to Spain. Since then, two of Italy’s three opening knockout games at a European Championships have required extra time, suggesting that this could be yet another tight affair that goes the distance.[/p]
[p]Players to watch: Bologna’s Dan Ndoye has been one of Switzerland’s most consistent performers at the tournament so far, with his consistency finally paying off with a first international goal at the 14th attempt in their final group game. Also plying his trade in Serie A for Roma, Lorenzo Pellegrini assisted his nation’s first goal at the tournament before posting Flashscore’s highest rating (8.0) in their final group stage game. [/p]
[p]Hot stat: Both teams have scored within 90 minutes in eight of Switzerland’s last nine Euro tournament games. [/p]