Turkiye vs Italy preview: Nations League meeting at Yüzüncü Yil Atatürk Stadyumu on Sept 28
Turkiye and Italy are scheduled to meet at the Yüzüncü Yil Atatürk Stadyumu in a UEFA Nations League 2026-27 group-stage fixture on September 28 (BST), with both sides entering the match after defeats in their opening games.
The Vincenzo Montella-led side arrive following a 0-1 loss to Zinedine Zidane’s France, a result the preview says saw Turkiye fail to control the tempo, increasing pressure on the team and affecting their performance; the article also posts the Turkish federation’s message, "A Millî Takımımız, İtalya maçı için Bursa’da. 🇹🇷#BizimÇocuklar | #TURITA | #UNL pic.twitter.com/JnOioldtkO".
Italy began their Nations League campaign with a 0-2 defeat against Belgium; Roberto Mancini’s men produced multiple goal attempts but lacked finishing, and the article stresses Italy must be more alert to counter-attacks and look to disrupt opponents’ moves from midfield if they are to claim three points in an away fixture.
Arda Guler is singled out as Turkiye’s top performer against France, described as always threatening the opposition defence; the 21-year-old took the most shots for his side (3) and is noted as deployable on the wing or as an attacking midfielder. Nicolò Barella is highlighted for Italy after registering the joint-most touches (86) and being one of Gli Azzurri’s most consistent players in the previous match.
Ugurcan Cakir received a red card against France and is therefore not available for Turkiye for this game, while the article states that all selected members of the Italy squad are fit and ready for action. Projected lineups provided in the preview list Bayindir (GK); Celik, Demiral, Bardakci; Kadioglu, Yuksek, Ozcan, Elmali; Guler, Akturkoglu; Gul for Turkiye, and Donnarumma (GK); Di Lorenzo, Scalvini, Bastoni, Calafiori; Barella, Doumbia, Tonali; Raspadori, Pio Esposito, Maldini for Italy.
Broadcasters and streaming information in the preview indicate coverage on Sony Sports Network and SonyLIV in India; S Sport TV and ATV in Türkiye; RAI PLAY, Mediaset and Sky Italia in Italy; and FOX Sports, FuboTV and ViX in the USA, with SonyLIV noted as a platform to stream matches live.
Neither nation secured a positive start in the group and both will be seeking a first win; the article concludes by forecasting that "Gli Azzurri are likely to come out on top and secure a win." The clash is scheduled to take place at the Yüzüncü Yil Atatürk Stadyumu on September 28 (BST), with SonyLIV available to stream the games live.
