NATIONS - Bulgaria, Switzerland and Lithuania: Italy's precedents

A month and a half after the triumph in the European Championship, the national team returns to the field to resume the journey in the FIFA World Cup Qualifiers with the aim of mortgaging the pass for Qatar 2022 and lengthening the streak by 34 consecutive useful results. with the world record held by Spain only 90 minutes away (35 unbeaten games between 2007 and 2009).

Thanks to the successes in the first three matches played in March, the Azzurri are at the top of the Group C standings with three points clear of Switzerland, second but with only two games to their credit. Precisely the one against the Swiss (Basel, “St. Jacobs Park” Stadium, 5 September at 8.45 pm) is the challenge that can decide the fate of the group, in a calendar that however includes two other matches not to be underestimated: those with Bulgaria ( Florence, “Artemio Franchi” Stadium, 2 September at 8.45 pm) and with Lithuania (Reggio Emilia, Stadio del Tricolore, 8 September at 8.45 pm). For Italy, expected in October from the Nations League Final Four, with the replay of the European semi-final with Spain and with Belgium and France on the other side of the board, the journey towards Qatar 2022 will end in November, with the retour match against Switzerland at the Olimpico in Rome (on the 12th) and the last trip to Belfast with Northern Ireland (on the 15th).

These are the blue precedents with the three opponents:

ITALY-BULGARIA - In the previous 20, Italy boasts 11 victories (the last one in the first leg in Sofia for 2-0), 7 draws (the last in Sofia on 28 March 2015 for 2-2) and 2 defeats (the last 2-1 on 25/09/91 in a friendly). The most relevant challenge was dated July 13, 1994, at the World Cup in the United States: 2-1 victory in the semifinals for Italy with a brace from Roberto Baggio; the biggest victory was that of 1966: 6-1 in Bologna. The blue bomber of the matches against Bulgaria is Roberto Baggio (4 goals, 2 braces). Two important stages of the Azzurri goalkeepers are linked to Bulgaria: Zoff, who made his debut in '68 in Naples, and Buffon, who celebrated 150 matches in the national team in 2015.

SWITZERLAND-ITALY - Switzerland is the opponent the Azzurri have faced several times in their history: 59 matches between 1911 and 2021, with a balance clearly in favor of Italy, with 29 wins and 22 draws and only 8 defeats. In the detailed comparison of all competitions, Italy is however at a disadvantage in the most important tournament, the World Cup: three races, with 2 Swiss victories in 1954 and an Italian victory in 1962; Switzerland also ahead of the Olympics (2-1 in Paris 1924). In the other Italy tournaments ahead: 1/0/0 in the European Championships, 1/1/0 in the World Qualifiers, 3/4/1 in the European Qualifiers, 8/4/0 in the International Cup, 15/13/4 in the friendlies. Italy has not lost to Switzerland for 28 years. Last preceding the 3-0 at the Olympic Stadium in Rome in the first phase of the European Championship.

ITALY-LITHUANIA - Balance clearly favorable to the Azzurri also with Lithuania: 5 wins and 2 draws. First success in April 1996: Zola's goal in Vilnius, then a double 4-0 in Reggio Emilia in November 1995 (Del Piero and Zola's hat-trick) and in Trieste in March 2001 (braces from Inzaghi and Del Piero). Then the success dated June 2007: in Kaunas 2-0 with a brace from Quagliarella. Two draws: 0-0 in the World Cup qualifiers in Kaunas on 1 September 2001, 1-1 in the European qualifiers on 2 September 2006 in Naples (Danilevicius' goal is the only goal conceded in the 6 matches). The last precedent is 0-2 in the first leg in Vilnius.