Man of the Match: Italy v Finland

Italy started its Euro 2020 qualifying with a 2-0 victory overall Finland on Saturday. While Italy dominated possession in large swaths of the match, the Azzurri went long spells without truly testing the Finnish goal. Take a read below for some of the players who stood out and have your say as to who was Italy’s best player on the night.

Nicolò Barella

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While his seventh minute goal will stand out in the box score, Barella had a strong all around game. The Cagliari man was hands down Italy’s best midfielder and played with grinta and personality throughout the match; finishing with an 87.8% passing rate. Meanwhile, on the defensive end he did plenty to break up Finnish play in the midfield. The 22 year old looks like he could be the linchpin of the Azzurri midfield going forward.

Moise Kean

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It wasn’t enough for Kean to make his Azzurri debut at just 19 years old. The youngster was determined to leave a much deeper mark on this one and he certainly did. Kean showed why he is such a highly rated prospect, often putting himself in dangerous positions. His hard work and determination was rewarded when he scored in the 74th minute. He certainly has the look of a player who could lead the Italian front line for years to come.

Fabio Quagliarella

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The 35 year old may have only played 10 minutes, but he certainly made his presence felt. Quagliarella immediately forced a big save from Hradecky on a great downward header. Then just minutes later, Fabio smashed one off the woodwork. Obviously, it was a small sample size, but Quagliarella made himself one hell of a case to start for the Azzurri on Tuesday.