Prediction: Bulgaria vs Italy

Prediction: Italy to win 3-0

Best Odds: 6/1

Bookmaker: Betfair

Bulgaria and Italy will face each other in the 2022 World Cup qualifier this weekend. The match at the Vasil Levski National Stadium in Sofia is slated to kick off at 7:45pm UK time on Sunday and promises to be an exciting game of football.

Bulgaria

Bulgaria will head into the Group C match against Italy on the back of a 3-1 defeat to Switzerland at the Vasil Levski National Stadium in Sofia. The game was over as a contest after just 13 minutes when Switzerland went 3-0 up, and although the home team pulled one back in the opening minute of the second half, it simply was not enough.

Yasen Petrov’s side are not going to win the group or even finish in the runners-up spot, but they could spring a surprise that could affect the final standings in the group. However, winning against Italy even at home may not be possible for the Bulgarians.

Team News:

Plamen Iliev, Strahil Popov and Georgi Kostadinov all are set to start for Bulgaria.

Italy

Italy kicked off their 2022 World Cup qualifying campaign on a positive note. Roberto Mancini’s side eased past Northern Ireland 2-0 at home this week, thanks to goals from Domenico Berardi and Ciro Immobile in the first half. Although the Northern Ireland had chances in the second half and could have scored, there was no doubt at the end that the Italians were the better team.

The Italians will head into the match against Bulgaria as favourites and will be very confident of winning with ease and making it two wins out of two. With Switzerland winning their opening game of the qualifying campaign, Mancini’s side will know that the pressure is already on to finish top of the group.

Team News:

Berardi and Immobile will start again for Italy, and so will Leonardo Bonucci and Giorgio Chiellini.

Key Factors to Consider

• Bulgaria have lost their last four competitive games at home.
• Italy beat Bulgaria 1-0 the last time the two teams faced each other.
• Italy have won on 10 of the 11 times they faced Bulgaria, losing just once.
• Bulgaria conceded three goals and conceded one this week.
• Italy scored twice and did not concede any goal this week.

Conclusion

Although Bulgaria could make things tricky if they score an early goal, it is hard to see Italy slip up. It is very likely that the Italians will end up picking up all three points from the encounter courtesy with a comfortable win.

Prediction: Italy to win 3-0

Best Odds: 6/1

Bookmaker: Betfair