Venezuela vs Italy prediction: WORLD: Friendly International betting tips on match 2024-03-20 21:00.
[p]After losing only two matches in 2023 (W5, D4), with both defeats coming by a one-goal margin against Colombia, Venezuela play for the first time this year as they take on Italy in a friendly at the Chase Stadium, Fort Lauderdale on Thursday. The Wine-Red have never previously faced Italy but did play against European opposition twice in 2022, beating Malta 1-0 before losing to Iceland by the same scoreline.[/p]
[p]Manager Fernando Batista, who took on the role in March last year, saw his side’s results tail off from September onwards with just two wins from their final seven (D3, L2) while they drew blanks in front of goal in two of their last three. With the 2024 Copa América beginning in late June in the USA, getting a better goals return will be a priority after Venezuela found the net only once from four games during the 2021 tournament.[/p]
[p]Italy have the 2024 European Championships in Germany on the horizon themselves, where they will be defending their title from Euro 2020. After taking on the role in August, Luciano Spalletti successfully navigated the Blues’ final six games in the qualifiers, losing just one game (W3, D2) which was a significant turnaround following three defeats from the previous five (W2).[/p]
[p]Spalletti announced three new names in his squad for this and Sunday’s match against Ecuador in New Jersey. Torino defender Raoul Bellanova, Verona’s on loan midfielder Michael Folorunsho and Udinese striker Lorenzo Lucca will all be hoping to get their first caps in this game, as Italy take on South American opposition for the first time since a 3-0 defeat against Argentina in June 2022 in the ‘Finalissima’. [/p]
[p]Players to watch: Darwin Machís has had a hand in both of Venezuela’s last two goals (G1, A1), against Peru and Chile, with both of the strikes coming in the second half. Davide Frattesi was Italy’s leading scorer in the Euro 2024 qualifiers and he is yet to lose a game when he finds the net for his country (W3) or current club side Inter milan (W5, D1).[/p]
[p]Hot stat: Italy have not conceded the first goal in any of their last[/p]