Already playing catch-up in Euro 2024 qualifying Group C, reigning continental champions Italy make the long journey to Skopje to face North Macedonia on Saturday.

The Azzurri sit outside the top two on account of only playing two matches in the section so far, having suffered Nations League heartache in the most recent round of international fixtures.

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A new year brought new hope for North Macedonia, who started 2023 as they mean to go on with an opening qualifying win over Malta before sinking the Faroe Islands in a friendly in March, but a harsh reality check was in store for Blagoja Milevski's troops three months ago.

North Macedonia raced into a two-goal lead against Ukraine in their second Group C battle before succumbing to a remarkable comeback from Sergiy Rebrov's side, who ran out 3-2 winners before an Old Trafford obliteration at the hands of England, who were in dreamland at the Theatre of Dreams as they crushed Milevski's side 7-0.

A Bukayo Saka hat-trick, Harry Kane brace, Kalvin Phillips strike and Marcus Rashford effort saw North Macedonia suffer their heaviest European Championships qualifying defeat to date, which leaves them bottom but one in Group C, only above a pointless Malta crop.

Only perennial whipping boys San Marino, Gibraltar and Liechtenstein have shipped more goals than North Macedonia's 11 at this stage of proceedings, but the hosts can take some solace in the fact that they have not lost three successive Euros qualifiers since October 2015, prior to their finals baptism at the delayed Euro 2020 tournament.

Milevski's team have also found the back of the net in each of their last six Euros home qualifiers, but their 3-2 loss to Ukraine snapped a four-game winning streak on their own turf in the preliminary rounds, and only the Faroe Islands have failed to score against North Macedonia in the past 12 months.

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Roberto Mancini may have suffered a bitterly disappointing end to his tenure before being seduced by the riches of Saudi Arabia, but Italy are now in the extremely capable hands of Luciano Spalletti, whose Napoli side swept aside almost everything in their path en route to the 2022-23 Serie A title.

Spalletti takes over an Azzurri contingent whose powers have waned significantly since coming up trumps at Wembley in the Euro 2020 final, with another failed World Cup qualification venture and 3-0 Finalissima beating at the hands of Argentina also blotting Mancini's notebook.

During their opening Euro 2024 qualifier, a vengeful England overcame the holders 2-1 in Naples before Italy made amends with a 2-0 beating of Malta on matchday two, but while the Three Lions continued to pull away at the top of the standings in June, the Azzurri were busy gunning for Nations League glory.

Those hopes were quickly dashed in a 2-1 semi-final loss to eventual winners Spain, but Mancini's final parting gift to the Azzurri faithful was a bronze medal, as Italy overcame host nation Netherlands 3-2 in a gripping encounter to restore a small sliver of pride.

Blessed with a relatively kind start to life in the hotseat, Spalletti will also lead Italy into Tuesday's showdown with Ukraine as they aim to improve on their third-placed standing in the group, although a playoff opportunity will arise based on their Nations League ranking should they fail to break into the top two.

There is more than one incentive for the Azzurri to teach North Macedonia a footballing lesson on Saturday, as Italy's World Cup 2022 qualification dreams came to an end at the hands of Milevski's side in a 1-0 playoff semi-final defeat, and the famed new manager bounce could help Spalletti's side on their quest for revenge.

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While his presence may not have made a difference to the outcome, North Macedonia defender Visar Musliu missed his side's seven-goal humiliation against England through suspension, but the Paderborn defender is now available once again.

Captain Stefan Ristovski was left bloodied after a nasty clash of heads with Kane in that match, and while the right-back has since recovered from that collision, he is currently out of the national team picture after publicly admitting to problems between him and head coach Milevski.

Burnley's Darko Churlinov is also out through injury alongside Valon Ethemi and Marjan Radeski, but 20-goal striker Aleksandar Trajkovski remains the hosts' focal point, despite the fact that the 30-year-old is currently without a club.

For Spalletti's first Italy squad, a handful of Euro 2020 heroes in the shape of Leonardo Bonucci, Jorginho and Marco Verratti are nowhere to be seen, while attacking duo Domenico Berardi and Gianluca Scamacca are other notable absentees.

The Scudetto-winning coach appears set to stick with the 4-3-3 that hitherto made the Azzurri so successful under Mancini, as Lazio marksman Ciro Immobile wears the captain's armband in the centre-forward role aiming to reignite his international career following a plethora of injury problems.

Two uncapped goalkeepers in Lazio's Ivan Provedel and Tottenham Hotspur's Guglielmo Vicario have also forced their way into the ranks, but Gianluigi Donnarumma remains the undisputed number one and is set to win his 55th cap at the age of just 24.

Juventus' Federico Chiesa and Roma's Lorenzo Pellegrini were unsurprisingly called up by Spalletti, but the duo have now been sent home with injuries.

North Macedonia possible starting lineup:
Dimitrievski; Ashkovski, Velkovski, Musliu, Zajkov, Alioski; Ademi, Bardhi; Elmas; Trajkovski, Nestorovski

Italy possible starting lineup:
Donnarumma; Di Lorenzo, Romagnoli, Bastoni, Dimarco; Barella, Tonali, Locatelli; Politano, Immobile, Zaccagni

We say: North Macedonia 0-2 Italy

A winning start to Spalletti's reign surely awaits a transitioning Italy side this weekend, with North Macedonia still reeling from their England embarrassment and the ongoing row between manager and absent captain.

The reigning European champions should not score goals for fun in Skopje as they find their feet under the ex-Napoli boss, but they have the defensive nous required to shut out their hosts, whose star striker Trajkovski is lacking match practice.


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