The Nations League 3rd Place game is set to take place on Saturday, October 10th between the Netherlands and Italy. Both teams will be looking to end their Nations League campaign on a high note after falling short in the semi-finals.
The Netherlands, who finished second in their group behind Italy, lost to Spain in the semi-finals. Despite their defeat, the Dutch have shown great promise under manager Ronald Koeman and will be eager to prove their worth against Italy.
Italy, on the other hand, topped their group ahead of the Netherlands and went on to lose to eventual champions Portugal in the semi-finals. The Azzurri have been in fine form under manager Roberto Mancini, winning their last six matches in all competitions.
In terms of head-to-head record, the two sides have faced each other 22 times with Italy winning 10 and the Netherlands winning 8. However, the Dutch have won the last two meetings between the two sides, including a 2-0 victory in their most recent encounter in June 2018.
Looking at the odds, Italy are currently slight favorites to win the match with odds of 2.50, while the Netherlands are priced at 2.80. A draw is also a possibility with odds of 3.20.
One player to watch for the Netherlands is Memphis Depay, who has been in scintillating form for both club and country. The Lyon forward has scored 5 goals in his last 5 matches for the Dutch and will be looking to add to his tally against Italy.
For Italy, Ciro Immobile will be the man to watch. The Lazio striker has been in sensational form this season, scoring 7 goals in just 4 Serie A matches. Immobile has also scored twice for Italy in the Nations League and will be looking to add to his tally against the Dutch.
In conclusion, the Nations League 3rd Place game between the Netherlands and Italy promises to be an exciting encounter between two talented sides. While Italy may be slight favorites, the Dutch have shown that they are more than capable of causing an upset. It should be a closely contested match with both sides eager to end their Nations League campaign on a high note.
