Berlin, Dec. 17 (BNA) Three giants of European football met in the 2022/23 Nations League on Thursday against continental champion Italy against Germany and England.
Italy won the postponed Euro 2020 championship at Wembley this summer against England, but Gareth Southgate’s side have an immediate chance of revenge in Group C of Serie A.
Germany, who were eliminated by England in the Round of 16 of that tournament, will be looking to regain pride under new coach Hansi Flick while Hungary looks to be relegated.
The matches will also be a serious test for the 2022 World Cup in Qatar, which takes place from November 21 to December 18 to avoid the Gulf state’s hottest temperatures.
Italy coach Roberto Mancini also referred to the confrontation with old rivals Germany as a “classic in world football”.
Title holders France meet Denmark, Croatia and Austria in A1 while there is an Iberian flavor to A2 with Spain and Portugal joined by Switzerland and the Czech Republic.
World number one Belgium meets its neighbors the Netherlands, Poland and Wales in the A4.
Group matches take place this coming June and September, with the winners from all four groups competing at the highest level in the finals in a mini-tournament in June 2023.
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