Italy vs. Spain: Date, Time, TV Schedule and Live Stream for 2016 Friendly

European champions Spain travel to Udine on Thursday, where they'll hope a friendly victory over hosts Italy will extend their seven-match winning streak and set them on course for a successful title defence at Euro 2016.

The Euro 2012 finalists will play their first match of the calendar year under non-competitive circumstances, but with this summer's continental showcase now just three months away, the pressure to find form is mounting.

While Spain's recent run has been solid, the Azzurri are without a win in their last two outings, and outgoing manager Antonio Conte knows a quick turnaround is needed if he's to escape a gruesome Group E lineup in France.

Read on for a full preview of Thursday's clash in Udine, complete with full schedule and viewing information.

Date: Thursday, March 24

Time: 7:45 p.m. GMT/3:45 p.m. ET

Venue: Stadio Communale Friuli, Udine

Live Stream: Watch ESPN (U.S.)

TV Info: ESPN 2 (U.S.)

Euro 2016 Dress Rehearsal?

EMMANUEL DUNAND/Getty Images

The expansion of the European Championship from 16 to 24 teams means the knockout stages have taken on a more unpredictable route. But any way one looks at it, it's very possible we'll see Italy and Spain collide in the round of 16.

Spain manager Vicente del Bosque will lead his side into Group D, and the defending champions will consider themselves favourites to top the pool ahead of opponents Turkey, Croatia and the Czech Republic.

Italy, meanwhile, find themselves in Group E, which has taken on this tournament's "Group of Death" moniker as world No. 1-ranked Belgium, Sweden and the Republic of Ireland look likely to make for a stiff contest.

Depending on the best-ranked third-placed finishers, Conte's Azzurri could still finish third in the group and advance to face the winners of Group D, most likely to be Spain at this point.

And the Italy head coach is aware of the threat coming his way, per Reuters (h/t AS):

"

I'm anticipating a tough match. I wanted this friendly against Spain and the one against Germany to see what sort of shape we're in. Spain are a very good side, they’ve been on a run of a lot of victories and they only slipped up at the last World Cup. They have a strong league, which provided six teams for the European quarterfinals.

"

Italy's chances of beating Belgium at Euro 2016 seem all the slimmer when one considers it was only four months ago they dropped to a 3-1 defeat against their impending group opponents in Brussels.

Of course, a lot can change at the tournament, and Spain are far from certain to succeed in the opening stage. But Thursday's meeting could act as a precursor for what's to come in France later this year.

Spain's Clean Slate on the Line

Mike Hewitt/Getty Images

The tiki-taka revolution has caught the eye mainly because of its mesmeric passing and maddening midfield domination, but recent results show it's Spain's defence that's impressed most of late.

Of the nine matches Spain played in 2015, they won eight and conceded just a single goal during those victories, not to mention scoring a collective total of 14 goals throughout.

A portion of that defensive stinginess can be attributed to the fine selection of goalkeepers at Del Bosque's disposal. Veteran Iker Casillas has continued to share responsibilities with Manchester United's David De Gea, but ESPN FC's Michael Yokhin showed evidence many think it's time for the torch to be passed:

Spain have played 624 minutes of football since Johan Venegas of Costa Rica scored a shock opener in a friendly in Leon last June, and they have since kept clean sheets in their last six games.

Italy have failed to score just once in their last 16 matches, however—a record stretching back to June 2014—meaning they'll be contesting heavily to ensure Spain's clean-sheet streak ends in Udine.