Italy will aim to equal their all-time unbeaten record of 30 matches and finish top of Euro 2020 Group A when they face Wales at the Stadio Olimpico on Sunday.
The Azzurri have won their opening two matches by the same 3-0 scoreline against Turkey and Switzerland, making it 10 wins in a row in all competitions without conceding.
Roberto Mancini's side are already assured of a place in the last 16, but they require a point against second-placed Wales to make certain of top spot.
However, victory will be the target for Italy on home soil as they look to match their previous record for games without defeat, set between November 1935 and July 1939.
Mancini has indicated he will rotate his side with the knockout stages in mind, but experienced defender Giorgio Chiellini has warned Italy cannot take Wales lightly.
"They are a great team," said Chiellini, who is not expected to play any part in the match. "Wales have been playing together for many years and we know them well.
"There have been many small changes but never revolutions, so they are tough opponents."
Wales are practically through to the last 16 after drawing with Switzerland and beating Turkey in their two games, but need a point in the Italian capital to seal the deal.
The Euro 2016 semi-finalists do not have the best of records against Italy, though, losing seven of their previous nine meetings and failing to score in three attempts on Italian soul.
But winger Daniel James is relishing the chance to end Italy's long-running unbeaten run, which spans back to September 2018.
"Italy are a great team, but we have to go in believing we can win. We will do our analysis, and we will go there with our heads held high," he said.
"They've had a great run going into this tournament, but we want to win every game and we fully believe that we can do that."
PLAYERS TO WATCH
Italy – Marco Verratti
Verratti was not even named in Italy's squad for their opening two games as he continues to recover from an injury sustained with Paris Saint-Germain, but Mancini has hinted he will play a part on Sunday.
Manuel Locatelli has starred in Verratti's absence, becoming the third youngest Italy player to score a brace at a major tournament with his double against Switzerland.
But PSG midfielder Verratti has been one of the key men in Italy's remarkable turnaround after failing to qualify for the 2018 World Cup and Mancini will be eager to get him back to full fitness.
Wales – Gareth Bale
Gareth Bale skied a penalty in Wales' 2-0 win against Turkey, becoming the first player to miss the goal frame entirely with a spot-kick at the Euros since Raul for Spain against France in 2000.
The Real Madrid forward more than made amends for that, however, by assisting goals for Aaron Ramsey and Connor Roberts in a well-earned win for the Dragons.
He created five big chances across the 90 minutes in Baku – the most by a player at the Euros since such records were recorded in 1980.
KEY OPTA FACTS
- Italy and Wales' latest encounter was 18 years ago, in a European Championship qualifier back in September 2003. On that day, Filippo Inzaghi scored his one and only hat-trick with the Italian national team (4-0).
- Wales have made it out of the group stages in their previous two appearances at a major tournament (1958 World Cup, Euro 2016). If they avoid defeat in this game, they are guaranteed a spot in the knockout stages.
- Italy are looking to win all three of their group-stage matches for the fourth time at a major tournament, previously doing so at the 1978 and 1990 World Cups, and at Euro 2000.
- The Azzurri have gone 965 minutes without conceding, scoring 31 goals without reply in that run.
- If he keeps a clean sheet, Italy keeper Gianluigi Donnarumma would be the youngest keeper to earn shutouts in three consecutive games at the Euros (22y 115d on the day of the game).
Celtic’s defensive injury crisis easing as Nat Phillips returns
Celtic’s injury problems in central defence are easing as Nat Phillips and Cameron Carter-Vickers step up their comebacks.
Phillips has missed two games after rolling his ankle on his debut against Dundee but the on-loan Liverpool defender could return in Saturday’s cinch Premiership meeting with Motherwell at Fir Park.
The centre-back’s return is a welcome boost for manager Brendan Rodgers as Gustaf Lagerbielke’s European suspension would otherwise leave Liam Scales as the only fit central defender for next Wednesday’s Champions League visit of Lazio.
Rodgers said: “Nat Phillips we are keeping an eye on, he has rejoined the group but we just have to make sure with his ankle. But that looks much better. Hopefully (he will be back) for the weekend.
“No-one else who has been out injured will be back.”
Carter-Vickers is also stepping up his return from a hamstring injury while fellow centre-backs Stephen Welsh and Maik Nawrocki are further behind.
“Cam is coming back in to rejoin the training group but he is not going to be ready until after the international break, I would suspect,” Rodgers said.
The Celtic manager will make a decision over who replaces the suspended Joe Hart at Fir Park.
Scott Bain came off the bench and kept a clean sheet after Hart was sent off in the first half of Celtic’s 3-0 win at Livingston on Saturday but Benjamin Siegrist is another option.
Rodgers said: “We will look at it between Scott and Benji. Both of the guys work really hard every day so we will finalise the team on Friday.”
A huge figure for us – Wales assistant extols ‘phenomenal’ captain Jac Morgan
Wales captain Jac Morgan has been described as “phenomenal” following an immense contribution towards his country reaching the Rugby World Cup quarter-finals.
The 23-year-old flanker has proved Wales’ stand-out performer in the tournament, inspiring pivotal Pool C victories over Fiji and Australia.
Morgan’s level of leadership and all-round game defies a relative lack of experience on the Test-match stage that has seen him win 14 caps and captain Wales only four times.
But his efforts have gained comparison with former Wales and British and Irish Lions skipper Sam Warburton, who oversaw a World Cup semi-final appearance at the age of 22 in 2011.
Wales have already confirmed a quarter-final spot this time around, and they are guaranteed to finish top of their group if they beat Georgia in Nantes next week
That would then set up a potential last-eight appointment with Argentina seven days later, with Wales having reached the knockout phase under head coach Warren Gatland for a fourth successive World Cup campaign.
“Jac is phenomenal,” Wales assistant coach and forwards specialist Jonathan Humphreys said.
“He is one of these guys where nothing fazes him. He is just the same kid all the way through the week, then two minutes before the game, just the same kid.
“He is brave, and he has such an impact on the game, such an impact on the group.
“Captaincy has not changed him one iota. He is a huge figure for us, and we are blessed in that (number seven) department with Tommy (Reffell), who is back fit now, and Taine (Basham).”
Morgan was appointed co-captain for the World Cup with hooker Dewi Lake, and Gatland said: “He is growing into this role. He is still a young man, and I threw him in at the deep end.
“He has been absolutely outstanding, and I have a huge amount of admiration for him.
“He is definitely a player who leads from the front. I thought he was outstanding (against Australia), and he did exactly that. It was a brilliant performance from him.”
Wales are preparing for a training ground return following a few days’ break after their record 40-6 win against Australia in Lyon that left the Wallabies close to pool-stage elimination.
They will reassemble at their Versailles base, from where preparations will begin for Georgia.
Wales full-back Liam Williams said: “To win by 34 points (margin) against Australia at a Rugby World Cup is a dream. On to the next game now.
“Our pack was outstanding (against Australia). They got us on the front foot, and there was nothing more you could ask from a pack of forwards.
“As the head coach said, it is about being a hard team to beat, and that is what we are being at the moment.”
And lock Will Rowlands added: “It is not always the most flashy rugby, but for us it was so satisfying.
“We put pressure on them (Australia) – good scrum, good maul and got the points and went again.
“We are really pleased with how the three games have gone. Now everyone is switched on and focused on doing a job on Georgia so we can top the pool.”
New law around drug possession leads to rise in number of football arrests
Football arrests continued to rise last season although the latest increase can be attributed to the addition of drug possession as an offence under the Football Spectators Act, new figures from the Home Office show.
There were a total of 2,264 football-related arrests during the 2022-23 season, up from what was already an eight-year high of 2,198 the previous campaign.
But that increased figure included 200 arrests for the possession of class A drugs, added as an offence under the Football Spectators Act in November 2022, and 101 arrests in England and Wales that related to the World Cup in Qatar.
The figures released on Thursday counted arrests made in England and Wales relating to fixtures played overseas for the first time.
The rise in the number of arrests was reflected in 682 new football banning orders being imposed, the highest number since 2010-11 and up 32 per cent on the previous season, with the total number of banning orders being in force rising to 1,624, up 24 per cent on the previous total of 1,308.
However, the total remains lower than the pre-pandemic number of 1,771. Banning orders last for a minimum of three years.
The Home Office said the number of matches with reported incidents decreased by six per cent.
West Ham topped the table for the number of arrests by club with 89, six more than Manchester United. Leeds had the third highest total with 69, the highest increase (+25) of any club from the previous year.
The figures counted data from matches involving clubs from the Women’s Super League and Women’s Championship for the first time, although there were no arrests at any of the women’s games.
With overall attendance up to 45million at the matches included in the results, the number of arrests worked out at 5.0 per 100,000 fans, down from 5.2 per 100,000 the previous season.
Last year’s figures had been released following a spate of high-profile incidents involving pitch-invading fans – with custodial sentences imposed on a Leicester fan and a Nottingham Forest supporter – but arrests for such offences are down 53 per cent (166 incidents) this time around.
Of the 682 new banning orders imposed, 99.6 per cent were given to males, with 70 per cent of them aged 18-34 and two per cent aged 17 or under.
Manchester United had the highest number with 69, the first time the Old Trafford club had been in the top five for banning orders since 2016-17. Millwall were second with 66.
A total of 123 arrests were made related to overseas matches involving England and Wales. While 101 were connected with the men’s World Cup in Qatar, none were related to the Women’s World Cup.
The number of recorded incidents of online hate crime was 234, up from 103 the previous year, although this rise was attributed to better reporting and recording of such incidents.
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