On Friday night, Italy and Switzerland will lock horns at the Olimpico Stadium in Rome with a spot in Qatar 2022 on the line.
The two neighbors are currently level on points at the top of Group C, and thus, the winner will earn his ticket to next year’s World Cup, while the loser will have to contend for a place through the playoffs.
Roberto Mancini will be facing a dilemma upfront, with Ciro Immobile ruled out due to an injury.
According to JuveNews, the Azzurri manager could resort to another natural central forward to replace the Lazio man – with Andrea Belotti, Gianluca Scamacca and Giacomo Raspadori being the options.
Nonetheless, Mancini could decide to deploy Federico Chiesa (or even Bernardeschi) in a false 9 role, flanked by Domenico Berardi and Lorenzo Insigne.
Juve FC say
Ahead of a crucial encounter with incredibly high stakes, it’s unlikely that Mancini will thrust one of the young Sassuolo duo or even Belotti who’s struggling to find his best form at Torino.
This wouldn’t be the first time that Chiesa acts as a false 9, as he already interpreted the role for both club and country in recent months.
The former Fiorentina man’s best attribute is attacking the spaces, which is why the wide role fits him best, but he still proved to be useful in a more central position, with the Chelsea encounter being a prime example.
