UEFA Nations League

Manuel Locatelli, Giacomo Raspadori named in Italy XI against Belgium

By Oliver Thomas, Senior Reporter | 10 October 2021

Locatelli, Raspadori named in Italy XI against Belgium

Italy manager Roberto Mancini makes five changes to his starting lineup for Sunday afternoon's UEFA Nations League third-place playoff against Belgium.

Italy manager Roberto Mancini has made five changes to his starting lineup for Sunday afternoon's UEFA Nations League third-place playoff against Belgium.

The Azzurri's world-record 37-game unbeaten run came to an end on Wednesday night, after Spain claimed a 2-1 victory to advance into the final.

Mancini has had to make one enforced change which has seen the suspended Leonardo Bonucci replaced by Francesco Acerbi, with veteran defender Giorgio Chiellini beginning on the bench once again.

#NationsLeague

Gli 11 #Azzurri 💙 scelti dal Ct Mancini per

🇮🇹 #Italia 🆚 🇧🇪 #Belgio

⏱️ Oggi, ore 15.00
🏟️ Juventus Stadium - #Torino
📺 In diretta su #Rai1
🥉Finale 3°-4° posto

#ItaBel #VivoAzzurro pic.twitter.com/NZalaTBnEa
— Nazionale Italiana ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ (@Azzurri) October 10, 2021

Acerbi's inclusion in defence is the only change made to Mancini's back four, as Giovanni Di Lorenzo, Alessandro Bastoni and Emerson Palmieri all remain in the starting lineup, shielding goalkeeper Gianluigi Donnarumma.

Inter Milan's Nicolo Barella is the only central midfielder who retains his place in the first XI, with Manuel Locatelli and Lorenzo Pellegrini replacing Jorginho and Marco Verratti.

Mancini opted to start without a natural centre-forward in the defeat against Spain, however he has selected 21-year-old Giacomo Raspadori to lead the line this afternoon, ahead of the injured Moise Kean and Federico Bernardeschi, who drops to the bench.

Raspadori is joined in attack by Sassuolo teammate Domenico Berardi and also Federico Chiesa, while Napoli's Lorenzo Insigne is an option from the substitutes' bench.