Overview of Italy at the European Championship

The Azzurri, the Italy national football team, has a rich history in the European Championship. They have participated in the tournament nine times, including the upcoming 2020 edition. Italy is one of the most successful teams in European Championship history, having won the tournament once in 1968 and finished as runners-up in 2000 and 2012.

Recent Form

Italy has been in excellent form in recent years under the guidance of manager Roberto Mancini. They dominated their qualifying group for the European Championship, winning all ten of their matches. In the build-up to the tournament, they have also been impressive in friendly matches, including a 4-0 victory over the Czech Republic in their final warm-up game.

Squad Analysis

Italy's squad is a mix of experienced veterans and talented youngsters. Captain and Juventus goalkeeper Gianluigi Buffon is a veteran of four European Championships and is expected to provide leadership and experience to the team. In midfield, the likes of Jorginho and Marco Verratti will be key to Italy's chances, while up front, the talented Ciro Immobile will lead the line.

Tactics

Mancini has employed a 4-3-3 formation in recent matches, with Italy playing a possession-based style of football. The full-backs are encouraged to push forward when in possession of the ball, providing an extra attacking option and allowing the wingers to cut inside. The midfield is the engine room of the team and the likes of Jorginho and Verratti are tasked with controlling the game and setting the tempo.

Key Matches

Italy has been drawn in Group A along with Switzerland, Turkey, and Wales. Their opening match is against Turkey on June 11th, which will be followed by matches against Switzerland and Wales. The final of the tournament is set to take place on July 11th at Wembley Stadium in London.

Prediction

Italy has a strong squad and is well-drilled under Mancini. They will be among the favorites to win the tournament and are expected to progress from their group with ease. If they continue to play their possession-based game and keep things tight at the back, they could well go all the way and claim their second European Championship title.