Inter defender Alessandro Bastoni is set to start for the Italian national team in their 2022 World Cup qualifying playoff against North Macedonia on Thursday.
This according to today’s print edition of Milan-based newspaper Gazzetta dello Sport, who report that the 22-year-old will be handed the start in defense by coach Roberto Mancini for the North Macedonia clash.
The conditions of Juventus duo Giorgio Chiellini and Leonardo Bonucci make it unlikely that either will start against North Macedonia, with the former having only returned against Salernitana on Sunday and the latter still out injured,
Accordingly, Bastoni is virtually certain to start in Thursday’s clash, with one of Lazio pair Luiz Felipe and Francesco Acerbi set to play alongside him, according to the Gazzetta.
Meanwhile, Nerazzurri midfielder Nicolo Barella is also expected to take his place in the starting eleven alongside PSG’s Marco Verratti and Chelsea’s Jorginho, the same regular starting trio that won the Euros in the summer.
