EURO 2024 Fantasy Italy Top Picks

In this article we take a look at the EURO 2024 Fantasy Italy top picks. Here we touch upon the recent form of Italy, how they achieved qualification, highlight their best picks, and anything else of relevance. To do this we bring in Italy fan and regular Serie A contributor @FPL_Crisk.

Our EURO 2024 Fantasy Italy top picks could be crucial for managers. Knowing how a team has been performing recently can be helpful. But, knowing who the best picks from each team can be essential for the tournament ahead.

Introduction

Italy aren’t considered amongst the top candidates to bring the trophy home. But, they weren’t the favourites in 2021 either. Despite that they went on to be crowned Champions in Wembley.

Since then lots of things have changed, starting from the manager. Luciano Spalletti was appointed after a historic Serie A campaign in which he took Napoli to their first main domestic title in over 30 years. The EURO’s will be his first real test with the national team.

Recent Form

UEFA Euro 2020 – The only success story of the team in the last decade. They breezed through the group stage, and then handled Austria, Belgium and Spain on their way to Wembley. There they overcame the home team in a penalty shootout.

FIFA World Cup Russia 2018 – Another World Cup Italy missed out on, after losing in the playoff against Sweden. After the 2006 victory, Italy are yet to advance past the group stage of the WC.

UEFA Euro France 2016 – Italy’s campaign under Antonio Conte lasted until the QFs where they lost to Germany on pens. Until then they had beaten Spain and managed to top Group E (Belgium, Ireland and Sweden).

Spalletti was appointed last September. Since then the team took part in eight games, resulting in five victories, two draws and one defeat (to England). This led to Italy qualifying for the EUROs alongside the English national team and in front of Ukraine (who went on to qualify via playoff).

During that period, Spalletti mainly went for the 4-3-3 formation he had so much success with at Napoli. But, in recent friendlies he experimented with a back-3 system, which suits way more the players at his disposal.

Unlike most high quality teams though, Italy were testing against lower quality sides. This makes it harder to judge whether they will be able to compete just as well against top tier teams like Spain and Croatia, with which they will share Group B.

Top Picks – Federico Dimarco – €5.0m

He is the standout pick out of the whole squad. For the national team he’s only managed two goals and two assists. But, he has been hindered by the previous back-four system. With Spalletti likely shifting to a back-three I expect his stats to approach those showed for Inter (six goals and eight assists this season, six goals and 10 assists in the previous one).

With Udogie out with injury, he is also massively nailed and doesn’t have a lot of competition for his spot at LWB. Federico Dimarco is a shoo-in amongst my EURO 2024 Fantasy Italy top picks.

Alessandro Bastoni – €5.5m

With Italy’s attack feeling kind of lacklustre, I think some managers would want, at some point, to double up on Italy’s pretty solid defence. With Dimarco almost being a no-brainer, I think Bastoni makes for a good partner.

He is the most nailed defender in the back-three and probably the most likely candidate for a POTM award in case of a clean sheet. I would also keep an eye on players like Buongiorno (4.5m), Mancini (4.5m), Scalvini (4.5m), Calafiori (unpriced) and Cambiaso (4.0m). If either seem nailed during the early June friendlies, I see very good reasons to include them in a draft for Matchday 1 against Albania.

Jorginho – €5.0m

The Arsenal midfielder will most likely remain a staple in Italy’s midfield for this campaign. He shouldn’t be on penalties anymore after missing his last four for the national team. But, his best contribution comes from his ball recoveries. He has always performed very well in this category during numerous UCL fantasy campaigns, and he will also have to cover defensively in midfield to make up for the more offensive Barella who will play alongside him.

Pellegrini (7.5m) is also a good option if he starts in the friendlies. He will most likely be out of position at CAM and will take some set pieces.

Federico Chiesa – €7.5m

He was one of Italy’s best players in the previous EUROs, but his form has dropped quite a bit due to various injuries. Nevertheless, he should be nailed to play as one of the two CAM. The main thing putting me off from is the fact that he’s listed as a forward in the game.

Gianluca Scamacca – €7.0m

Three months ago, everyone would have bet on Mateo Retegui (6.0m) to start in the #9 position. Since then, Scamacca has gone under a run of extremely good form. The former West Ham striker scored 19 goals and managed eight assists in just above 2000 minutes this season. Most of those returns also came between April and May.

He’s also proven to be a “big time” player. In fact he scored in many decisive games in Atalanta’s Europa League title run (casual fans may remember his wonderful brace at Anfield in a 0-3 upset).