Italy: what needs to be done to avoid Euro 2024 playoffs

Should it go wrong, there would still be playoffs

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At the moment, Italy è out of Euro 2024. A draw in Skopje with North Macedonia (1-1 final) complicated the Azzurri’s path to a pass for the upcoming European Championships. The national team è third in its group (the top two go through directly). The standings see England first with 13 points, followed by Ukraine at seven and then Italy at four (with one match less than the Ukrainians).Italy has the same points as Macedonia (which, however, has played one more match).

In short, not an easy situation for new CT Spalletti. At this point, to get back in the race, it è compulsory to win Tuesday's match, at San Siro, against Ukraine but also to beat the Ukrainians in Poland (their "home" in this historical period at home to the war) next November 20. Making six points against Ukraine è vital to aspire for the second place, without, however, missing the other challenges with Malta (Oct. 12) and, again, North Macedonia (Nov. 17). It should be remembered that the national team has to visit, next Oct. 17, England (in the first leg, victory of the English 2-1).

Should it go wrong, Italy would still have a Plan B to nab a pass for Euro 2024. Having reached the Nations League Final Four, the national team is already entitled to a place in the play-offs. There will be 12 national teams playing in the repechages, with three groupings, with semifinals and finals, for the last three places available. An option that evokes bad memories for Italian fans, since it is the same rule as the last World Cup playoffs.