Like a mirror view – the last time the two sides met under the Euro umbrella, the match was played on English soil. Tonight, they meet again, and it’s the Euro story once again, only this time in Italy, and not for the title. Much less is at stake as the Three Lions and Gli Azzurri face off in the opening Euro 2024 qualifiers game.EURO 2024 Qualifiers: Big names, big teams, comebacks and ambitions##NAJAVA_MECA_7118248##Still, both gaffers, Gareth Southgate and Roberto Mancini, agree on the fact this is a genuine ‘classic’.The two giants of world football have met on 30 occasions, with England taking eight wins, Italy securing 11 victories and 11 draws between the pair.For goals scored, the Three Lions just come out on top with 34, compared to the Italians’ tally of 33.Theatre play about Southgate?! A bit too much, init…Southgate arrived in Naples stressing how his squad had reset after another major tournament disappointment (FIFA World Cup) and revealed their determination to cross the final barrier to success.The qualification road to Euro 2024 in Germany will start in the atmospheric and hostile surroundings of Stadio Diego Armando Maradona.👍👍The #ThreeLions are off to Italy! pic.twitter.com/0x6HjTDasW— England (@England) March 22, 2023 Italy are playing their first game in Naples for a decade. Southgate, however, has confidence his players can start with a good result in what may shape up as their most difficult game in the group.”The world changes, football changes, players emerge, players fall out of form, and you constantly have to monitor everything. So, we are always doing that we are always looking around football, looking around other sports, around businesses to what we might learn, what we might be able to improve upon.”But for now, we are also conscious that in terms of belief we’ve crossed a lot of hurdles over the last four years. And this group of players ahead of the game should have tremendous belief really.”##EDITORS_CHOICE##For now, how is the England manager feeling about being back on the major tournament trail with some of the biggest names in the Premier League and beyond?”I have enjoyed seeing the enthusiasm of the players to be back together,” Southgate told BBC Radio 5 Live.”I think they love coming, they have been close to three months since they were together, and it’s been great to see them sat around chatting, eating, enjoying their training and really focused on the challenge ahead.”And yeah, they are a really good group of players to work with I have to say.”EURO 2024 – QualifiersThursday 18.00: (4.40) Kazakhstan (3.35) Slovenia (1.90)22.45: (1.60) Slovakia (3.80) Luxembourg (6.00)22.45: (1.37) Macedonia (4.70) Malta (9.00)22.45: (1.80) B&H (3.45) Iceland (4.80)22.45: (2.90) Italy (3.05) England (2.65)22.45: (1.35) Denmark (4.60) Finland (10.5)22.45: (40.0) San Marino (15.0) N.Ireland (1.05)22.45: (1.01) Portugal (25.0) Liechtenstein (55.0)Friday 20.00: (2.70) Bulgaria (2.95) Montenegro (2.90)22.45: (1.10) Serbia (10.0) Lithuania (23.0)22.45: (3.35) Sweden (3.25) Belgium (2.25)22.45: (2.50) Czech R. (3.15) Poland (3.00)22.45: (1.90) France (3.45) Netherlands (4.20)22.45: (30.0) Gibraltar (12.0) Greece (1.07)22.45: (2.50) Moldova (3.00) Faroe I. (3.15)22.45: (1.25) Austria (5.80) Azerbaijan (12.0)Saturday 17.00: (1.28) Scotland (5.50) Cyprus (11.0)20.00: (8.00) Armenia (4.50) Turkey (1.42)20.00: (12.0) Belarus (5.80) Switzerland (1.25)20.00: (1.95) Israel (3.40) Kosovo* (4.10)22.45: (1.37) Spain (4.70) Norway (9.00)22.45: (1.60) Croatia (3.70) Wales (6.25)22.45: (15.0) Andorra (6.50) Romania (1.20)*** odds are subject to change ***
