The Italian National team will take on Albania in their fifth World Cup qualifying game tomorrow, in Italy at the Stadio Renzo Barbera.
Italy is currently atop Group G tied with Spain with 10 points. However, Spain is a head of the Azzurri in the standings because of goal differential.
Albania on the other hand is in 4th place with only 6 points, but will look to continue their recent success, winning their last two qualifying matches. More importantly, the team is hoping to qualify for their first World Cup.
The two European nations have only played each other once and Italy defeated Albania in an International friendly 1-0 back on Nov.18, 2014.
Here a two players to watch for in tomorrow’s game:
Italy- Ciro Immobile
Immobile is Italy’s top striker at the moment and leads the squad with four International goals. The forward is having a fantastic season with Lazio.
He has scored 17 goals, sixth best in Serie A and has logged nearly 2,500 minutes on the pitch.
Immobile and the rest of the national team are not taking Albania lightly.
“We’re studying them, they’re a team who played in the European Championship with good qualities and they’re well trained,” Immobile said, on Italy’s football federation FIGC’s website yesterday.
“It won’t be a walk in the park, they’ll fight tooth and nail. We know that playing at 90 per cent isn’t enough to win.”
Albania- Bekim Balaj
Balaj is leading Albania with two goals in four matches. Despite the team only scoring four total goals in their first four matches, Balaj has netted half of them.
The 26-year old forward has scored eight goals for his club team, FC Terek Grozny, who sit in eighth place in the Russian Premier League.