Confederations Cup 2013: Last-Minute Picks for Italy vs Spain Semifinal Matchup

Despite a strong showing in the group stage of the Confederations Cup, Italy dropped a 4-2 affair to Group A winners Brazil and now face what could prove to be an even more difficult opponent. It doesn’t help that they will do so without Mario Balotelli.

The striker won’t be available for the remainder of the tournament after being sent home with what Football-Italia.net describes as a “muscular problem in his left thigh.” His loss is a crucial blow to a team already facing a tremendous challenge.

Nothing is guaranteed, but the odds certainly aren’t in Italy’s favor. Spain are one step closer to the Confederations Cup finals, and a good showing on Thursday will all but ensure they get there.

With that in mind, let’s take a look at predictions for the match and break down two crucial players to watch in this semifinals tilt.

Man of the Match

Italy are going to have a hard time maintaining possession and creating momentum in this match. With Balotelli out, the Spanish side will be much more inclined to push their attack without worrying as much about defending against the counterattack.

As a result, Spain’s midfielders and forwards can expect to exert a little more aggression on Italy’s back line. If Spain comes out on top in this contest, any attacker could be the Man of the Match.

But Italy have done well to defend the wings in the tournament, and it’s more than likely Spain will find their success in the middle of the attack. If that happens to be the case, Roberto Soldado could be the man to break the match wide open. 

*Prediction: Roberto Soldado

 

Silver Lining

On the bright side, this match could be a lot closer than the final score will probably indicate.

Spain have the firepower to break things open at any point, but Italy aren’t going to surrender early scoring opportunities, especially with their best striker out of action. If anything, the Italian side will likely tighten things up in their defensive third and hope to capitalize on good chances with efficient play at the other end.

As long as Italy don’t make foolish mistakes in the early going, we could see an extremely tight match through the first half. With a few lucky breaks on the attack, Italy could find themselves still very much in contention toward the end of the contest.

*Spain and Italy will be tied at 1-1 after at least an hour.

 

Final Score

Italy are a terrific team that has played extremely well throughout the Confederations Cup, but they are likely to experience similar results against Spain as they did in losing to 4-2 to Brazil.

Spain are confident and carry plenty of momentum into this match, and also have the thought of their last meeting with Italy—a 4-0 victory—still fresh in their memories. With Balotelli out, Italy may not have an answer to Spain’s powerful attack that can score goals in bunches.

Granted, Spain’s 10-0 victory over Tahiti wasn’t as impressive as the score indicates, but that performance was still a statement match for the rest of the tournament. Uruguay and Brazil also boast powerful attacks, but it’s hard to compare any of the remaining teams to what Spain have to offer. 

*Prediction: Spain 3, Italy 1