The final EURO Group C fixtures resume, Tuesday June 17, with Italy vs France and Netherlands vs Romania. Both Italy and France can continue in EURO 2008 action if they win their match outright, even then they’ll have to wait to see the outcome of the Netherlands vs Romania match. Both games are played at the same time to avoid match fixing. A Romania win, or draw, over the Netherlands secures their spot in the quarter finals, a Romania loss by three or more goals will put either Italy or France, if they win outright, through. This Group C is going to play out like a soap opera if the Dutch field a weak lineup against Romania. Oddsmakers at SBGglobal.com have Italy as +155 favs over France +165 with a chance at penalty kicks at +290. Get your Italy vs France: EURO 2008 Betting Prediction in now at SBGglobal.com
Italy was destroyed 0-3 by the Dutch in their EURO opener and then they drew even at 1-1 against Romania four days later. Italy and France are old rivals who met at World Cup 2006, which saw Italy win on penalty kicks. Italy’s play has been anything but impressive, especially with their star defender Fabio Cannavoro out, they’ve looked weak at the back to say the least. It’s possible that Coach Roberto Donadoni is considering bringing forward Antonio Cassano into the lineup to install some offense."The fact I have played him for a little bit of the two games against Netherlands and Romania shows that he impresses me," Donadoni told reporters. "I think he is a top player, I have brought him with me and it is possible he will play." He might give young striker Karim Benzema a chance to show off his skills. Italy have to come out strong and not lay back. "I'm not saying we'll win but I know we'll fight. The players have a lot to prove. Not making the most of it would be stupid."
France lost 1-4 to the Dutch then drew a 0-0 draw against Romania. Thierry Henry is the lone goal scorer for France. “We have put ourselves in that situation and only have ourselves to blame for it,” said France coach Raymond Domenech. France has struggled to find the right mix between veterans and promising youngsters. It’s likely coach Domenech will do without defenders Lilian Thuram and Willy Sagnol instead adding players that can add some offense when France is deep in Italy territory. France playmaker Franck Ribery insists his side have to believe they still have a chance of progressing. “We've turned the page on the other games,” Ribery said. Ribery has been one of the better players on the French side, besides Henry, who has had chances at the net. Captain Patrick Vieira still has not fully recovered from a thigh injury. Ribery admits that the absence of the Inter Milan midfielder, Patrick Vieira, is a factor in France's poor showing in the opening games. “We've missed Patrick a lot,” he said. “Hopefully he'll be ready to face Italy. He's an important presence on the pitch, both as a holding player and as someone who can launch our attacks from midfield.”
Head to Head: 35 matches played
- Italy leads 17-8
- 10 matches ended in a draw
- Italy scored 77 goals
- France scored 48 goals
Group C: Italy vs France
When: Tue, June 17, 2008 1:00 PM ET
Line: SBGglobal.com
Pick: Italy +155
The Bottom Line: Italy has the better chance if they get Vierra on the pitch, they have great goaltending in Buffon, and the overall head-to-head record for this fixture is 18 Italy wins, nine France wins and eight draws, with penalty kicks counting as a win. Get your Italy vs France: EURO 2008 Betting Prediction in now at SBGglobal.com and recieve a 30% sign-up bonus on your initial deposit!
