Italy vs. Switzerland: World Cup 2022 qualifier odds, preview and tip
Domestic football is on hiatus this week, but there is no shortage of high profile games across Europe as World Cup qualifiers draw to a close. Some big names may struggle to miss automatic qualification, but the biggest game of the week is Italy v Switzerland in Group C.
Both teams have 14 points, with Italy taking the lead thanks to a better goal difference. The two teams drew 0-0 in Basel in September, which means that this clash in Rome is a winner-everything.
A win here guarantees the top spot in Group C, while the losing team has to cope with the nightmare situation of a two-legged playoff.
The Italian job is easy – win and you’re in
Italy are the reigning European champions and the fourth best team in the world according to the FIFA rankings. They’ve seen only one loss in 39 games – a 2-1 loss to Spain in the Nations League semi-finals – but they are nowhere near invincible and will want to quit this game to secure the top spot.
The memories of last summer’s European Championship win on penalties against England in the Wembley final will stay with Italian fans for a long time as they lost a playoff 1-0 to Sweden. You won’t want this disaster to repeat itself, with three senior players instantly retiring while coach Gian Piero Ventura got the boot.
They were almost perfect in qualifying this year, winning four and drawing two of their six games. They only conceded one goal (in the 1-1 draw against Belgium) and are in good shape – they have scored in 20 of their last 21 games. The exception? 0-0 draw in Switzerland …
The Swiss are on their way
Switzerland will not scare the Italians despite the Azzurri’s 3-0 victory at the European Championships in the summer. Italy were irresistible that night in Rome, but the Swiss will trust this to be their only 90-minute loss in their last 17 games.
Murat Yakin’s team knocked out favorites France in the round of 16 of the European Championship and was unlucky that Spain were only eliminated on penalties in the quarter-finals. You have reached five of the last six major tournaments and are in a golden era of Swiss football, led by midfielder Xherdan Shaqiri.
Similar to Italy, Switzerland have won four and drawn two, 10 goals and only one goal in this qualifying round. The Swiss dropped out of the top 10 teams in the world in 2019, but are still a constant threat and moved against Germany and Spain in the Nations League.
Italy slime class
This all looks like a close fight with both teams ready to defend well and crush the opponent. A draw seems like a fair result, especially given the recent history between these two teams, but Switzerland’s increasing injury concerns could give Italy the edge. The Swiss may be without six first-team starters and that could be an advantage for Italy to get the job done in Rome. This is due to a low number of points, but the European champions should get three points and guarantee their place in the World Cup.
Result prediction: Italy 1-0 Switzerland (+500)