Italy pose serious threat as England dream of reaching Euro 2025 final | OneFootball

Just under three years ago, England were in dreamland. Guided by Sarina Wiegman, the Lionesses had won UEFA Women’s Euro 2022 – the nation’s first major tournament triumph since 1966. They’d done it on home soil, backed by a sell-out crowd at Wembley and by thousands tuning in across the country, intrigued by an England side that actually won things.

The following year, England made it to the FIFA Women’s World Cup final. Defeat against Spain derailed the celebrations on that occasion, but the Lionesses bounced back as they always do, and on Tuesday they’ll bid to reach another final.

First, though, they must find a way past Italy: the lowest-ranked side remaining in the competition, but one that is certainly capable of springing an upset on their day.

Where can Italy pose a threat?

If England fans think they’re about to breeze into a second consecutive European final, they can think again. Italy may now be the lowest-ranked team in the tournament, but after securing their fate in their first European semi-final since 1997, they are not about to let the unthinkable dream die without a fight.

Unlike Sarina Wiegman, Italy boss Andrea Soncin does not shy away from altering his starting lineups when he deems it necessary. The regular inclusion of right wing-back Elisabetta Oliviero has been an incredibly pleasant surprise for Italy fans, after an impressive season at newly-promoted Lazio. Soncin is a big fan of deploying wing-backs in his team, preferring to play with pace out wide. Italy also boast an impressive midfield collective, with all possessing physicality and impressive footballing IQ, making them a tough prospect to play through for any opposition.

Where Italy could really hit England, though, is through set-pieces. With Ballon d’Or nominee Manuela Giugliano as Italy’s go-to set-piece taker, there is always one aim: to find Cristiana Girelli. The 35-year-old scored the most headed goals in Europe’s top five leagues last season thanks to her clever movement, incredible accuracy, and sheer goalscoring talent. If England switch off for a minute on a set-piece, Italy will make them pay for it.

England fans should also keep their eyes on Sofia Cantore. A world-class winger who has recently moved to Washington Spirit for a record sum for an Italian women’s player, Cantore has come off the back of an MVP season at Juventus. Despite having played with an unholy amount of confidence for Juve, she’s yet to really show what she’s about during this tournament. Although, after providing two assists for Girelli in the quarter-final match against Norway, there’s every chance she’s ready to level up against England. We can’t forget, of course, that Cantore netted against England in the 2023 edition of the Arnold Clark Cup, when she was still a relatively new recruit to the Azzurre set-up.

Italy have been waiting for this moment for decades, so one thing is for certain: they will not let England pass easily.

When does the match kick off?

Italy v England in the UEFA Women’s Euro 2025 gets underway in Geneva on Tuesday, with kick-off at 20:00 BST [21:00 CEST].