Fabio Capello has labelled Italy as favourites to win Friday’s Euro 2020 quarter-final clash against Belgium, especially as Roberto Martinez’s side prepare to go at it without their best players.
The vastly experienced 75-year-old coach believes that Gli Azzurri are in the driving seat if Belgium don’t have Kevin De Bruyne and Eden Hazard available.
The pair are in doubt for the clash with Italy, De Bruyne suffering ligament bruising and Hazard a hamstring pull, with both being given a 50-50 chance of playing by coach Roberto Martinez.
“With Belgium without De Bruyne and Hazard, Italy are the favourites,” Capello said.
“Even if we [Italy] get into some trouble when they [Belgium] attack aggressively, we are the favourites.”
Going on to talk about the quality of coaching in the tournament and in particular Italy’s Roberto Mancini, Capello didn’t seem impressed with anyone else but his fellow countryman.
“I haven’t seen anything groundbreaking and nobody is phenomenal,” Capello said. “However, he [Mancini] has seen quality in players that were ignored by others.
“There are 18 or 19 players who guarantee the same output but at the same time can change games.”
