Italy's 2022-23 UEFA Nations League campaign got under way with a new-look side at the weekend, and now the European champions seek to continue their rebuild from the ashes of World Cup qualification failure by hosting Hungary on Tuesday.

After securing a point against Germany, it is unlikely Azzurri coach Roberto Mancini will make another raft of changes in Cesena, after several established names were excluded at Bologna's Stadio Renato Dall'Ara.

While midfield mainstay Marco Verratti has joined Lazio's Ciro Immobile and Roma forward Nicolo Zaniolo on the sidelines due to injury, with long-term absentee Federico Chiesa also unavailable, a whole host of Euro 2020-winners have been cut from Mancini's plans for the following fortnight.

Domenico Berardi, Jorginho and Emerson Palmieri were among several men previously released from the squad, and former captain Giorgio Chiellini's time with La Nazionale is now over.

Therefore, Inter centre-back Alessandro Bastoni is set to start at the heart of the hosts' back four, while Gianluca Scamacca leads the line up front in the absence of both Immobile and Andrea Belotti.

Sandro Tonali - an integral cog in Milan's Scudetto win this year - takes one of three spots in a much-changed midfield, in which Sassuolo starlet Davide Frattesi hopes to retain his place after making his senior debut against Germany.

However, Nicolo Barella may be brought back into the first XI after being dropped on Saturday, and fellow debutants Samuele Ricci and Tommaso Pobega - both on loan at Torino last term - will also aim to usurp either Frattesi or Bryan Cristante.

Meanwhile, in attack, Scamacca could be supported by teenage supersub Wilfried Gnonto, who made a big impact from the bench in Bologna by laying on Lorenzo Pellegrini's goal. The former's clubmate at Sassuolo, Giacomo Raspadori, is also a contender to start as part of Mancini's favoured front three.

Italy possible starting lineup: Donnarumma; Florenzi, Mancini, Bastoni, Spinazzola; Cristante, Tonali, Barella; Gnonto, Scamacca, Raspadori

Written by
Jonathan O'Shea