Turkey heads into the match in Bursa following a narrow 0–1 defeat to France; however, the team traditionally plays aggressively on home soil and is capable of challenging any opponent. That said, the hosts face a difficult personnel situation: key creative players Hakan Çalhanoğlu and Kenan Yıldız are out due to injury, while starting goalkeeper Uğurcan Çakır is suspended. The burden of playmaking will fall largely on the young Arda Güler.
Italy, meanwhile, is in crisis mode after a crushing 0–2 home defeat to Belgium. The *Squadra Azzurra* also faces serious defensive issues: Bastoni is suspended, while Dimarco and Cristante are sidelined by injuries. The visitors are under immense psychological pressure—they need to bounce back, but doing so away from home against a motivated Turkey side will be extremely difficult.
Historical statistics favor Italy, as they remain unbeaten against Turkey in 13 previous encounters. However, given the personnel losses and the emotional state of both teams, the most likely scenario is a hard-fought contest in which Turkey—playing at home—avoids defeat.
