Vicario on emotional Udine return and representing Italy | OneFootball

Guglielmo Vicario admits returning to his hometown of Udine to represent Italy will be special, but warns Israel have players who can cause problems on the counter-attack.

The Nations League match kicks off at the Bluenergy Stadium on Monday at 19.45 UK time (18.45 GMT).

This venue used to be called the Stadio Friuli when Vicario would be in the stands with his family as a child.

“From a personal level, it is a huge moment for me. This is the stadium where I went every Sunday as a kid, just being a fan, and tomorrow there will be lots of my friends and family there cheering on the Nazionale,” the Tottenham Hotspur goalkeeper told Vivo Azzurro TV.

“It’s going to be very special and a strong emotion for me, it makes me proud of the journey I’ve been on.”

Vicario expected to start against Israel

The Azzurri are still top of the Nations League group with seven points even after the 2-2 draw against Belgium, although their lead over France is now down to just one point.

Israel are rock bottom without any points from three games, despite finding the net in all their matches against Italy, France and Belgium.

“They are a team with a lot of pace and good technique. The biggest issue is that their tactical system can vary from four or three in defence, so there are few certainties when facing them. We must above all be wary of their pace on the counter-attack, keeping concentrated and holding the right positions.

“We know that the pressure is on us to deliver a good performance in front of our fans and our main focus should be on how we approach the game.”

Unlike previous iterations of the Nations League, this time the top two go into the play-offs for the quarter-final.

“The objective is to confirm our form and get another push towards the two remaining matches in November,” concluded Vicario.

“We need to move towards our target, it is an important and difficult match, so we have to be ready.”

Lorenzo Pellegrini is suspended following the red card against Belgium, but coach Luciano Spalletti is planning numerous changes to the starting XI.