Nicolò Barella starts in a new, more advanced role behind Mateo Retegui with Nicolò Rovella making his debut in midfield as Italy visit Romelu Lukaku in Belgium.

Kick-off is at 7.45pm GMT at the King Baudouin Stadium in Brussels.

You can follow all the build-up and action during this Nations League match on the Live Blog.

The Azzurri are top of the group and need just one more point from the remaining two matches to ensure qualification for the quarter-finals.

These teams drew 2-2 in Rome last month, as the Nazionale led comfortably 2-0 until Lorenzo Pellegrini’s red card, allowing Belgium to fight back.

Pellegrini is therefore suspended because Samuele Ricci and Riccardo Calafiori are injured, but Barella returns for the first time since EURO 2024 and takes on a new trequartista role behind Serie A top scorer Retegui.

Instead, Lazio midfielder Rovella will be given his senior Italy debut from the start.

Belgium are missing the injured Charles De Ketelaere, Kevin De Bruyne, Jeremy Doku, Malick Fofana and Joaquin Seys, while Thibaut Courtois refuses to attend while Domenico Tedesco is coach.

Lukaku returns for the first time since the European Championship, after asking for time off to work on his fitness at Napoli.

Maxim De Cuyper scored a beautiful goal in the last meeting and has been linked with a possible transfer to Milan.

The Red Devils have not beaten Italy in a competitive match since the European Championship play-off in May 1972, followed by two draws and four defeats.

Lineups Belgium vs Italy

Belgium: Casteels; Castagne, Debast, Faes, Theate; English, Onana; Trossard, Openda, De Cuyper; Lukaku

Belgian bank: Vandevoort, Sels, Vermeeren, Lukebakio, Mbangula, Sardella, Mangala, Bakayoko, Al-Dakhil, Sambi Lokonga, Smets

Italy: Donnarumma; Di Lorenzo, Buongiorno, Bastoni; Cambiaso, Frattesi, Rovella, Tonali, Dimarco; Barella; Retegui

Italy bank: Meret; Vicario, Savona, Locatelli, Gatti, Maldini, Raspadori, Kean, Okoli, Comuzzo, Udogie, Pisilli

Reference: Petrescu (ROU)

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Nations League Live Blog: Belgium vs. Italy