Italy hunting for striker solution as England Euro clash looms

MILAN – Luciano Spalletti is looking for a solution to Italy’s long-standing striker problem as they gear up for crucial Euro 2024 qualifiers with Malta and England.

The European champions have scored six times in their four Group C matches, 10 fewer than runaway leaders England (13 points). Second-placed Italy, Ukraine and North Macedonia all have seven points.

They will also be without Sandro Tonali and Nicolo Zaniolo, who were sent home on Thursday after prosecutors launched an investigation into alleged gambling offences.

Veteran Lazio striker Ciro Immobile and Argentina-born Mateo Retegui, who has had a positive start to life in Italy with Genoa, are both injured, leaving Spalletti with few and uninspiring options up front.

Gianluca Scamacca has scored twice in six appearances for new club Atalanta, although he has been hampered by an early season hamstring injury, but is yet to net for the Azzurri after 11 international caps.

Moise Kean has been called up for the first time in two years, despite being a bit-part player at Juventus and has yet to score this campaign.

The Azzurri called up AS Roma forward Stephan El Shaarawy on Friday to fill one of the two available slots, following Tonali and Zaniolo’s expulsion.

El Shaarawy has scored six goals from 29 caps but the last time he played for Italy was in March 2021.

The 30-year-old has been relegated to a substitute at Roma since Belgian international Romelu Lukaku’s arrival on loan from Chelsea, and has failed to score in eight matches in all competitions.

One of the three are likely to lead the line against bottom side Malta in Bari on Saturday, as Italy wait on Federico Chiesa, who is hopeful of returning on Tuesday at Wembley, the site of Italy’s thrilling Euro 2020 triumph against England.

Chiesa has shown in the opening weeks of the season that he can play centre-forward, with four goals in seven matches since being moved into a more central attacking position.

Over 50,000 tickets have been sold for Italy’s first match at the Stadio San Nicola since losing a friendly with France in 2016, hinting at a renewed enthusiasm for the national team after an intriguing start to life under Spalletti.

Four points from his first two matches with North Macedonia and Ukraine in September have given Italy the advantage in the battle for second place, which also holds an automatic spot for the 2024 tournament.

They lead Ukraine and North Macedonia on head-to-head record and have a game in hand on every other team in the group, with Italy’s other two rivals facing off in Prague on Saturday afternoon.

However, looming on the horizon is the England clash.

It is a fixture which has special significance for Italy after their thrilling win at the last Euro and which could be key to their hopes of reaching the 2024 tournament.

Italy host North Macedonia and then take on Ukraine in Leverkusen in their final two qualifying matches in November.

A defeat by England at Wembley could easily let either one of their rivals nick second spot.

“I aspire to play great football, and we have what it takes. On Tuesday, we’re going to the home of the inventors of football to play our own game,” said Spalletti.

Regardless of how the group pans out, Italy have a spot in the play-offs thanks to their performance in the Nations League.

However, after missing out on the last two World Cups via that route, few in the country will have the stomach for another knockout nail-biter to decide their tournament fate. AFP