England is likely to play alongside Scotland in Euro 2024. Should they defeat Italy at Wembley this evening, they would play for Steve Clarke’s team in the tournament.
With just three games left in the qualifying round, Gareth Southgate’s team leads Group C by three points. They knew going into the game that a win or a draw would guarantee them a spot in Germany for the following summer, but a loss to the reigning European champions wouldn’t be fatal because they still had games against North Macedonia and Malta left.
The match tonight is a rematch of the agonizing Euro 2020 final, in which Italy prevailed in a penalty shootout at Wembley to win the championship. While the Three Lions have already made up for their loss with a commanding 2-1 success over Italy in Naples earlier in this qualifying season, a second triumph over the Azzurri will solidify England’s dominance prior to the forthcoming tournament.
Italy defeated Malta 4-0 in Luciano Spalleti’s third game in command of the national team on Saturday, vaulting them above Ukraine into second place in the group. This evening, he’ll be looking to continue that winning streak.
The match at Wembley will include a “highly significant” presence from the Metropolitan Police due to Monday’s fatal shooting in Brussels.
The attack during Sweden’s Monday night match against Belgium claimed the lives of two fans, forcing the game to be called off.
It has since been widely reported that Belgian police shot and killed the accused perpetrator.
The Met Police have stated that they have called in additional officers to ensure they are a noticeable presence before, during, and after England’s qualifying match, given the high-profile nature of the match that is scheduled to take place in just 24 hours.
The organization said in a statement to the Times that “those attending the match can be reassured that they will see a highly visible policing presence, given the events yesterday in Brussels.” Officers are present to make sure everything runs smoothly and provide attendees peace of mind.
“We have been working with our partners, including the FA, in the weeks leading up to this match to ensure those attending the Wembley area enjoy this match,” Superintendent Gerry Parker continued. Large-scale public order events are nothing new to our officers; a flexible plan is in place to lessen the chance of crime and disturbance and to promptly respond to any new problems.
Please arrive early for the match, be vigilant the entire time, and report any suspicious activity to a police or match official.
Following the incident in Brussels, UEFA has declared that there will be a minute of silence before England’s match as well as before every qualifying round.
If England wins their match against Italy, they’ll be eligible for Euro 2024.
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