Two nations looking to return to form will do battle today in an international friendly between Italy and the Netherlands. The match scheduled for 2:45 p.m. ET will be held at the Stadio San Nicola in Bari and can be live streamed here free (U.S. subscription required). Additional TV coverage can be found on Rai International.
Italy head coach Antonio Conte had this to offer ahead of today's encounter with the Dutch (via Football Italia): "We have been static for too long, with too many words and little action. It's time for a change. I read that in 2013, our championship had one of the highest average ages in Europe, almost 28. It's true that our country isn't good for young people and not just in football."
"When we are in a training camp, it won't be open to the players' families," he added. "If needed, we will have one hotel for the players and a separate one for the families. Concentration whilst training is vital. I want everything to be in place. After all, a match is only an hour-and-a-half long."
When asked about his future with the national team, Conte continued by saying: "Every so often I think about it and tell myself that it's like a film. I would never have imagined it. I hope that it also ends beautifully."
Tactical Preview
Player to Watch: The Netherlands' Daley Blind secured a summer transfer to Manchester United this summer. The 24-year-old made three appearances in the Eredivisie before his move, providing one assist and an average of two key passes per match.
Italy's Projected Lineup (3-5-2): Buffon; Chiellini, Bonucci, Ogbonna; Sciglio, Rossi, Verratti, Candreva, Darmian; Shaarawy, Immobile
Netherlands' Projected Lineup (4-3-3): Cillessen; Blind, Indi, Vrij, Janmaat; Fer, Jong, Wijnaldum; Depay, Persie, Kuyt
Note: Credit all statistics to officially licensed data from Opta Sports (via WhoScored).
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