Belgium v Italy: What the stats say ahead Euro 2020 clash
This will be the fifth meeting between Belgium and Italy at a major tournament – all four previous meetings came in the group stages, in the 1954 World Cup and European Championship in 1980, 2000 and 2016. Italy avoided defeat in all four matches, winning three and drawing one.
Against no side have Belgium played more games at major tournaments without winning than Italy (4, level with France and Germany) while the only European nations Italy have faced more often at the same tournaments without losing are Germany (9) and Austria (5).
Italy have reached the quarter-final of the European Championship for a fourth consecutive tournament. Each of those previous three appearances at this stage have been decided by a penalty shootout, with the Italians eliminated by Spain in 2008 and Germany in 2016 while progressing past England in 2012. Indeed, that accounts for three of Italy’s five European Championship penalty shootouts – more than any other nation prior to the 2020 edition.
Italy have only conceded more than once in one of their last 18 matches at major tournaments (EUROs/World Cup), dating back to the beginning of EURO 2012. They’ve conceded just 13 goals across these matches (8 clean sheets) with the only game they did concede more than once coming in the 2012 European Championship final against Spain (a 4-0 defeat).
Belgium have won seven of their last eight matches at the European Championships – the exception in this run was at this stage at EURO 2016, when they lost 3-1 to Wales.
Italy have won all four of their matches at EURO 2020; they have never won five consecutive games at the European Championship finals, while only twice previously have they won five or more in a row at any major tournament (World Cup/EUROs), winning seven in a row at the World Cup from 1934 to 1938 and five in succession at the World Cup in 1990.
Belgium eliminated reigning champions Portugal in the round of 16 – four of the five nations to win a knockout stage tie (including finals) against the reigning European champions have gone on to win the trophy, with the exception being Italy at EURO 2016.
Since Roberto Martínez’s first game in charge of Belgium in September 2016, they have won more games (47) and scored more goals (175) than any other European nation in all competitions. Both Martínez and Italy’s Roberto Mancini have won their first four matches at the EUROs, with only Michel Hidalgo winning his first five in European Championships history, winning every game at EURO 1984 with France.
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Belgium’s Thorgan Hazard has been directly involved in six goals in his last seven starts for Belgium (four goals, two assists) and has scored in his last two EUROs appearances. The only Belgian player to score in three consecutive major tournament appearances was Marc Wilmots at the 2002 World Cup.
Matteo Pessina has scored in Italy’s last two matches at EURO 2020; no player has ever scored in three consecutive European Championship appearances for Italy, while the last to do so for the Azzurri at any major competition (World Cup/EUROs) was Christian Vieri, who scored in four in a row at the 1998 World Cup.