The coach of Italy, Luciano Spalletti, speaking on the eve of the match with Ukraine, said that his team will do everything to avoid defeat and to qualify directly for Euro 2024.
In Group C headed by England, Italy is in second place with the same points as Ukraine, which is in third place. A defeat for Italy would end their hopes of direct qualification and force them to play in the play-offs.
“They have players who are in good shape in the leagues they play in. We will have to play as a team and give everything we have,” he said. “Their counter-attacking ability can also cause us problems. We have to wait, keep our shape and not leave gaps that can be difficult to cover.”
