"It has now become a 'classico'," said Roberto Mancini ahead of the latest episode of Italy-England.
Thursday's encounter – which kicks off Euro 2024 qualifying – will be the sides' fourth since Mancini took the Italy job in 2018 and their fifth since Gareth Southgate became England manager in 2016.
Prior to this match, Southgate has only faced Germany more often, yet the Azzurri are one of just four opponents his England team have played without winning (also France, Colombia and Brazil).
That sequence of results includes the Euro 2020 final, of course, and so revenge might be on the minds of the Three Lions.
Of the 16 England players who played some part in that Wembley shoot-out defeat, 14 were named in Southgate's squad for this month's qualifiers. Raheem Sterling – one of the other two – was also name-checked by Southgate, missing due to injury.
Rather than rebuild his side after coming so close, Southgate has stuck by his trusted lieutenants. He has handed out 20 or more caps to 22 different players across his England tenure and included 17 of those in his latest group – Sterling, again, is one of the other five.
It figures that Southgate should have faith in the best England side since 1966, even if his predictable squad selections frustrate some supporters.
Mason Mount and Marcus Rashford subsequently dropped out of the squad but were not replaced, with the manager seemingly reluctant to gamble on the introduction of a new face – particularly at this key juncture at the start of a new cycle.
"Now you have to start again," Southgate explained last week. "I know exactly where our most senior players are with that challenge: they are ready.
"The [Jordan] Hendersons, the [Harry] Kanes, they set the tone for that sort of mentality that is going to be needed."
How Italy would love to have the problems that face Southgate, both in having to rally quickly following a World Cup campaign – one Mancini's men watched from home – and in juggling elite talents and having to shut the door to others.
Less than two years have passed since Italy won the European Championship, yet the 17 players they used in the final were, on average, two years older than the 16 of England.
If this is the last run for Southgate and some of his most reliable stars – and it surely is – the same was already true for Italy at the Euros.
Only nine of those 17 players were retained by Mancini this month, naming a squad that included three teenagers and four uncapped players, along with the returning Matteo Darmian, whose last international outing pre-dates the Azzurri coach.
Far from confidently regenerating his squad, however, Mancini is casting around for answers. He has capped 88 players in 57 matches; Southgate has capped 88 players in 81 matches.
Where only five of England's 25-man squad have earned 10 caps or fewer under Southgate, there are 15 in the 30-man Italy group who are yet to reach that milestone under Mancini.
Of course, that includes Darmian, but it also includes Mateo Retegui, an Argentinian-born, Argentinian-raised and Argentinian-based forward at Tigre.
While his involvement prompted some controversy, going against Mancini's previous stance on calling up players not born in Italy, the coach explained: "In Italy, there are few. We are worse off than Southgate. If there is a chance to take new players, we take them."
It is a high-pressure situation Retegui is entering, potentially being tasked with leading the line against the toughest opponents in Italy's group.
Mancini has acknowledged his team cannot afford a slow start in a "very important" first game as they look to right the wrongs of their previous qualification campaign, but he has been left little choice but to take risks.
By contrast, getting to major tournaments has not until now been a problem for the risk-averse Southgate.
A 'classico' in Naples may yet inform the England boss whether that can remain the case with the same group of players at a third straight finals.
KC, JC, St. George's all hit double figures in goal-filled Saturday in ISSA Manning Cup
Saturday’s action across six games in the ISSA Manning Cup was truly spectacular, producing 52 goals including a brutal 18-0 victory for Kingston College over Cumberland High at Stadium East to make up for their opening 2-2 draw with Penwood High on matchday one.
DeShawn Byfield and Kajay Fletcher split eight goals between them for the North Street school.
Demario Daley and Kamaul Patterson also had prolific days in front of goal, each securing hat-tricks as KC moved to the top of Zone C with four points and a goal difference of 18.
Jamaica College were also in a dominant mood on Saturday, blanking Ascot High 11-0 to move to w=two wins in as many games in Zone F.
Papine High were also victim of a ruthless beating on Saturday, 10-0 at the hand of St. George’s College at Papine.
STGC takes sole leadership of Zone G ahead of St. Catherine High opened their season with a 4-0 victory against Holy Trinity after being awarded the points for their first fixture versus Norman Manley.
Excelsior High defeated Bridgeport High 7-1 as they prepared for their encounter against Jamaica College in Zone F.
St. Andrew Technical High School held firm and showed resilience as they defeated Calabar High 1-0 at The Boys Town football field in Zone D.
Birmingham 3-1 Wrexham: Stansfield brace earns hosts Hollywood derby win
Jay Stansfield struck either side of half-time to give 10-man Birimingham a huge 3-1 victory over fellow promotion hopefuls Wrexham on Monday.
A game dubbed the 'Hollywood derby' was given a blockbuster start when Jack Marriot smashed home the opening goal for the visitors with just two minutes on the clock.
But Birmingham's £10million recruit Stansfield soon levelled the scores, being the first to react to Alfie May's effort that was parried into his path by Arthur Okonkwo.
The hosts then took hold of the encounter as May and Taylor Gardner-Hickman went close, but the game entered the break finely poised at St. Andrew's.
However, Blues' dominance prevailed seven minutes after the restart with Stansfield's header picking out the far corner following Alex Cochrane's pinpoint cross.
And the points were sealed just before the hour-mark in stunning fashion as Tomoki Iwata's strike from distance smashed in off the post, much to the delight of minority owner Tom Brady in the stands.
A fiesty conclusion to proceedings saw Chris Davies' side end the game with a man less after Krystian Bielik was shown a second yellow card for a late tackle on Andrew Cannon, but Birmingham were able to hold on for the win.
Data Debrief: The American dream
Much was made of Birmingham's approach to the transfer window after spending £25m in their attempts to return the Championship at the first time of asking, but their biggest investment proved his worth on Monday.
Stansfield notched his first two goals for the club since his permanent switch from Fulham, but the Blues striker also played a starring role in the encounter.
He registered an expected goals (xG) tally of 1.12 to Birmingham's 1.3 total, while he also produced more shots on target (three) and touches in the opposition box (six) than any other player.
Slot doubles down on selection policy ahead of Champions League opener
Arne Slot hit back at critics following his first defeat as Liverpool head coach but is relishing his first Champions League game in charge of the Reds against Milan.
After starting his Liverpool tenure with three wins from three, Slot's side were beaten 1-0 by Nottingham Forest last weekend upon their return from the international break.
It marked the Dutchman's first loss since replacing Jurgen Klopp, with Forest securing their first triumph at Anfield since 1969.
Slot named an unchanged team for the fourth consecutive game since taking over at Liverpool against Forest, with many questioning his decision to do so.
But speaking ahead of their encounter at the San Siro on Tuesday, Slot doubled down on his selection policy during his early tenure on Merseyside.
"If rotation would be the reason why you didn't win a game, then last Saturday probably wouldn't be the first game I lost in 2024," Slot said.
"It's too simple to put this loss on rotation, I think it was because too many players didn't reach their normal level. The playing style of the opponent made it really difficult.
"When you don't win, you try and look at as many possible reasons why, but I preferred to look back at what we did well and what we didn't do well.
"We could have done a lot better in things that were not related to rotation, but again it's not possible to say what would have happened if I did rotate.
"Now I can do something about rotation in the upcoming games but before the weekend they were with the national team.
"For me this loss didn't have anything to do with rotation, it was the opponent and too many players not bringing what they can bring."
Slot takes charges of his first game in the Champions League as Liverpool boss, but has struggled in the competition away from home.
The Dutchman has lost all three of his away games in the tournament, with each of those coming in the group stage with Feyenoord last season.
However, Slot's former side did have the second-best shot differential away from home in last season’s group stage (+19 – 48 for and 29 against), while only Man City (24) faced fewer shots on the road.
The fixture will also come on Slot's 46th birthday, with the Liverpool head coach hopeful of getting the perfect present from his players.
"I think it is the first time that my birthday is not so important tomorrow!', Slot said.
"It's a big game also for me, but it's a big game for us too because it's the first game [of the Champions League] and it's the next game and the next game is always the most important one, as you know.
"But because of the history that these two teams have and the venue where it's played in - it's one to look forward to."
Slot was also able to provide an update on Federico Chiesa, who is yet to feature since his switch from Juventus in the transfer window.
Chiesa offers Slot an experienced option against the Serie A side, having notched seven goal involvements (three goals and four assists) in the 13 games he has played against Milan.
But the Dutchman confirmed that any involvement for the Italy international will likely be from the bench.
"He is, for the first time, in our team selection," Slot said.
"And since I said it's the first time he's in our team selection it would be a big surprise for him and for everyone if he would start tomorrow.
"I don’t think you should expect that he starts but he can make a few minutes for the first time tomorrow if we need him. That is something we will see tomorrow.
"For the first time with us and don’t expect him to be there in the starting line-up because he has been with Juve training on his own for a long time.
"It is too early for him to play 90, but hopefully he can make his first minutes in the upcoming fixtures."
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