By Anna Italia
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Italy – Albania 
Friday 24 March 2017
Here is the Preview Italy vs Albania for the World Cup Qualifier on Friday 24 March 2017 at the Renzo Barbera Stadium in Palermo, Italy at 20:45. The situation is favorable for Italy being in the 2nd position with 10 points compared to Albania with 6 points in the 4th position. Italy having the same 10 points as Spain holding the first position having a better goal difference of +14 compared to Italy +7.
UEFA World Cup Qualification Standing Group G BEFORE the game.
Italy, 2nd position with 10 points and a positive goal differene of +7
Albania, 4th position with 6 points and a negative goal difference of -2
| Pos | Team | P | W | D | L | Goals | DIFF | Points |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2 | Italy | 4 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 11:4 | 7 | 10 |
| 4 | Albania | 4 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 4:6 | -2 | 6 |
- Here is the situation: Italy can jump to the first position if they defeat Albania and the combination of the match Spain vs Israel ending with a draw or Spain losing the match. Spain is playing at the El Molinón in Gijon. For Italy, the only objective is to win the match to claim the 3 points, period.
- There is only 1 precedent between Italy and Albania played in 2014 with a result: Italy 1 – 0 Albania.
- Italy are unbeaten in 54 qualifiers (40 wins and 14 draws)
- Six of Albanian squad play in Italy, 5 in Serie A and 1 in Serie B: Lazio goalkeeper Strakosha, Napoli defender Hysaj, Torino defender Ajeti, Empoli defender Veseli, AS Bari midfielder Basha, ad Pescara Captain midfielder Memushaj.
- Albania coach Gianni De Biasi is Italian
- Albania have not conceded in six away qualifiers (W4 D2)
It is a special match for Italy and Juventus goalkeeper Gianluigi Buffon reaching a record of 1,000 game in professional football and a European record of 168th cap.
Photo: Figc.it
Italy Head Coach Giampiero Ventura and Italy Captain Gianluigi Buffon
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UEFA World Cup Qualifiers Standing Group G – Up to Matchday 4
| Teams | Played | Won | Draw | Lost | For | Against | Goal difference | Points |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Spain
|
4 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 15 | 1 | 14 | 10 |
|
Italy
|
4 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 11 | 4 | 7 | 10 |
|
Israel
|
4 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 8 | 5 | 3 | 9 |
|
Albania
|
4 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 4 | 6 | -2 | 6 |
|
FYR Macedonia
|
4 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 4 | 11 | -7 | 0 |
|
Liechtenstein
|
4 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 1 | 16 | -15 | 0 |
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Stats Before the game. Top scorer of ITALY: Ciro Immobile with 4 goals
Top scorer of ALBANIA: Bekim Bajaj with 2 goals
| Italy | Goals | Goals | Albania |
|---|---|---|---|
| Immobile, Ciro | 4 | 2 | Balaj, Bekim |
| Belotti, Andrea | 3 | 1 | Sadiku, Armando |
| Candreva, Antonio | 2 | ||
| De Rossi, Daniele | 1 | ||
| Pelle, Graziano | 1 |
Stats. Here are the last 5 games of ITALY: 3 wins, 2 draws
| 15/11/16 | IFG | Italy – Germany | 0:0 | |
| 12/11/16 | WCQU | Liechtenstein – Italy | 0:4 | 4 |
| 09/10/16 | WCQU | Macedonia – Italy | 2:3 | 3 |
| 06/10/16 | WCQU | Italy – Spain | 1:1 | 2 |
| 05/09/16 | WCQU | Israel – Italy | 1:3 | 1 |
Stats. Here are the last 5 games of ALBANIA: 2 wins, 1 draw, 2 lost
| 12/11/16 | WCQU | Albania – Israel | 0:3 | 4 |
| 09/10/16 | WCQU | Albania – Spain | 0:2 | 3 |
| 06/10/16 | WCQU | Liechtenstein – Albania | 0:2 | 2 |
| 05/09/16 | WCQU | Albania – Macedonia | 2:1 | 1 |
| 31/08/16 | IFG | Albania – Morocco | 0:0 |
Italy 23 Official Called Up Players for Albania
Goalkeepers: 1 Gianluigi Buffon (Juventus), 12 Gianluigi Donnarumma (Milan), 14 Alex Meret (Spal 2013);
Defenders 15 Andrea Barzagli (Juventus), 19 Leonardo Bonucci (Juventus), 3 Matteo Darmian (Manchester United), 13 Danilo D’Ambrosio (Inter), 2 Mattia De Sciglio (Milan), 3 Alessio Romagnoli (Milan), 5 Daniele Rugani (Juventus), 22 Davide Zappacosta (Torino);
Midfielders: 16 Daniele De Rossi (Roma), 8 Roberto Gagliardini (Inter), 18 Marco Parolo (Lazio), 10 Marco Verratti (Paris Saint Germain);
Wingers: 6 Federico Antonio Candreva (Inter), 7 Lorenzo Insigne (Napoli), 21 Nicola Sansone (Villarreal), 23 Simone Verdi (Bologna);
Forwards: 9 Andrea Belotti (Torino), 17 EderCitadin Martins (Inter), 20 Andrea Petagna (Atalanta), 11 Ciro Immobile (Lazio).
Staff – Commissario Tecnico: Gian Piero Ventura; Team Manager: Gabriele Oriali; Tecnici Federali: Salvatore Sullo, Paolo Vanoli e Gianluca Spinelli; Segretario: Mauro Vladovich; Preparatori atletici: Alessandro Innocenti e Giovanni Brignardello; Medici federali: Enrico Castellacci e Carmine Costabile; Massofisioterapisti: Fabrizio Scalzi, Emanuele Randelli, Alfonso Casano, Pasquale Raia, Walter Martinelli (osteopata).
Photo: facebook.com/NazionaleCalcio
Albania 20 Official Called Up Players for Italy
Goalkeepers: Etrit Berisha, Orges Shehi, Alban Hoxha.
Defenders: Ansi Agolli, Berat Gjimshiti, Mërgim Mavraj, Elseid Hysaj, Naser Aliji, Frederic Veseli.
Midfielders: Amir Abrashi, Burim Kukeli, Migjen Basha, Jahmir Hyka, Ergys Kaçe, Andi Lila, Taulant Xhaka, Ledjan Memushaj, Odise Roshi, Ermir Lenjani, Eros Grezda, Liridon Latifi.
Forwards: Bekim Balaj, Sokol Çikalleshi, Rei Manaj, Armando Sadiku, Azdren Llullaku.
Photo: facebook.com/pg/NazionaleCalcio
Photo: facebook.com/pg/NazionaleCalcio
