Simon Dalton presents his prediction for the Nations League match.
Italy, one of the frontrunners for the Nations League title, have the perfect opportunity to make a statement in their opening match. They face a distinctly average Bulgarian side that’s unlikely to put up prolonged resistance.
Bulgaria
At the end of May, Bulgaria played three friendly matches and came away with just one win — a straight-sets victory over Germany. However, the Germans treated that clash more as a training exercise, even requesting a fourth unofficial set. A more accurate gauge of Bulgaria’s current level came in the match against Ukraine (1:3). That result underscored long-standing issues, particularly given that Ukraine are ranked only 14th.
Italy
Italy opted for just one warm-up fixture, but it was an emphatic one — a straight-sets win over Iran, the world’s 15th-ranked side. The result was encouraging across the board. What’s more, Italy enter this campaign with a point to prove after their early exit in last year’s tournament, having fallen to France in the quarter-finals.
Bulgaria vs Italy Prediction
This looks to be the most one-sided clash of the opening day. The gulf in class is significant, and with Italy seemingly in excellent form coming into the competition, it’s hard to imagine any other outcome than a clean sweep. Expect a dominant and routine display from the Italians.
