Italy v England Euros final preview: Is it finally coming home?

For first time in 55 years, England have reached a major tournament final, and as it was back in 1966, they will contest the fixture on home soil at Wembley.

It’s an event that will leave a nation holding its breath. At 8pm on Sunday night, there is nowhere else to be other than watching Italy v England for the European Championship title.

The two best teams in Europe

On the balance of the performances of both England and Italy, for varying reasons, it seems as though the two best teams in the competition have fairly made their way to the final.

For Italy, their suffocating front foot pressing game and ruthless counter-attacking qualities have been on show throughout the tournament. And for England, a team that have conceded just once in the tournament, that have trailed for only nine minutes in 570 across their six games, they have shown a resilience married with a cutting edge going forward, which the country has scarcely seen in modern times.

But England will also face a side that haven’t lost in over two years, 33 games in fact, a side reborn from the shackles of its previous identity and moulded into a neo-Azzurri under Roberto Mancini.

Not only have they retained the steel-like forces of Giorgio Chiellini and Leonardo Bonucci in the heart of defence, with Gianluigi Buffon reborn in Gianluigi Donnarumma in goal, the rise of midfield and forward talents such as Manuel Locatelli and Federico Chiesa, accompanied by the more experienced Lorenzo Insigne and Ciro Immobile, have made the Italians a formidable force in world football.

It’ll be England who they will face next, a nation hoping to win the European Championship for the first time in their history, and with Wembley on their side, they may never get a better opportunity.

Three Lions favourites for glory

England have a habit of winning corners this tournament, and whilst Italy are extremely competent dealing with defensive set-plays, they don’t mind giving them away like they did against Spain, shipping six and creating just one.

With Harry Maguire nearly on target again against Denmark – if not for the outstretched glove of Kasper Schmeichel he would have scored a second at the Euros – he could be a good shout in the anytime goalscorer market at 16/1, whilst you can get John Stones to score at the same price. You can also get Maguire to score a header at a price boosted from 18/1 to 22/1. Work out your potential winnings with our easy-to-use online betting calculator.

England captain Harry Kane, who has scored four goals at the Euros this summer, has been price boosted to score the first goal of the match from 9/2 to 11/2, whilst Raheem Sterling has seen his anytime goalscorer price of 16/5 boosted to 4/1. Sterling has three goals to his name in the tournament.

England are marginal favourites at 5/6 to lift the trophy on Sunday with Italy priced at EVS. Could we be set for penalties? The Three Lions to go the distance and win on spot-kicks is priced at 10/1.

Check out all the latest football betting odds at William Hill