Italy and Argentina set to face each other in Finalissima

 

UEFA Euro 2020 Champions Italy will face Copa America holders Argentina in a one-off Super Cup final set to be held at Wembley on Wednesday evening.

The game, which was previously known as the European/South American Nations Cup, was discontinued after the 1993 edition, but after a memorandum of understanding between CONMEBOL and UEFA, both champions will fight for bragging rights.

Italy defeated England on penalties in the Euro 2020 final in 2021, while Argentina got the better of Copa America hosts Brazil last year. The Argentines have gone on to secure a FIFA World Cup spot in Qatar, but the Italians will be missing from the Mundial for the second consecutive time after falling to North Macedonia in the play-offs.

Meanwhile, the Copa America champions have revealed that skipper Lionel Messi will be available for the fixture.

The Paris Saint-Germain forward has not played Italy despite Argentina playing them twice since Messi made his international debut against Hungary in August 2005.

Against European opponents for Argentina, Messi has played 29 of them, scoring or contributing to 21 goals in 10 wins, four draws, and 15 losses. A goal against Italy will make Azzuri the tenth different European nation he will be scoring against.

Meanwhile, the Finalissima will be a 90 minutes affair in Wembley and should proceedings end in a draw. It will be straight to a penalty shootout.

However, the Finalissima is not the only international fixture meant for Wednesday 1st of June 2022, as the UEFA Nations League kicks off on the same day.

The postponed World Cup play-off between Wales and Ukraine will be played on the same day, and it will be an emotional night for the Ukrainians, who will be playing their first official International game since the start of the invasion by Russia.

Elsewhere in Africa, the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations qualification series will start.

 

Written by: Daniel Ademiju Idowu