Sweden vs. Italy: A bitter rivalry.

(Baonghean.vn) - Coach Ventura and his team will travel to Frields Arena to face their long-suffered opponent, Sweden. The result of this match will greatly determine Italy's chances of qualifying for the 2018 World Cup.

Both Italy and Sweden faced unlucky draws in the 2018 World Cup qualifiers in the European region. While the "Azzurri" were placed in a group with former Euro 2012 champions Spain, the Nordic team faced a tough competition with France, the Netherlands, and Bulgaria. Sweden's second-place finish exceeded the expectations of their home fans, while Italy's second-place finish was also largely predictable.

Bad luck continued to plague Italy and Sweden all the way to the play-offs, where they faced each other in a do-or-die battle for a ticket to Russia next summer. As soon as the draw pitted the two teams against each other, fans of both Italy and Sweden could only sigh in fear.

At this time, Coach Ventura's team wasn't exactly dominant, but they were still considered stronger than the team from the Nobel laureate's homeland. On the other side, Sweden no longer had the services of star player Ibrahimovic (who had retired from the national team), however, Coach Hamren's team was still not an easy opponent for Italy.

Striker Cassano burst into tears upon learning that Sweden and Denmark had advanced to the next round. Photo: Internet

Therefore, the clash between them deserves to be the most anticipated match of the 2018 World Cup play-offs. Of course, it's not just about the balance of strength, but also about past rivalries. Italian fans surely haven't forgotten the Euro 2004 group stage in Portugal. The "handshake" between the two brothers Sweden and Denmark (2-2) in the final group stage match led to Italy's heartbreaking elimination, even though Cassano and his teammates defeated Bulgaria 2-1 in the other match played at the same time. Despite having 5 points like Sweden and Denmark, Italy had to pack their bags and go home due to an inferior head-to-head record. The image of young striker Cassano sobbing uncontrollably will never be forgotten by Italian fans.

It wasn't until 12 years later that the Azzurri had the chance to settle the score. In the group stage of Euro 2016, Italy was in the same group as Sweden. A 1-0 victory, thanks to a goal from striker Eder in the 88th minute, contributed to Sweden's early exit from the tournament.

What the Nordic team inflicted on Italy in 2004, Ibrahimovic and his teammates have paid the price with interest. Even so, that's still not enough to satisfy the fans of "the boot-shaped country." Simply put, Sweden is Italy's sworn enemy after Euro 2004.

Eder scored the only goal to help Italy defeat Sweden in the group stage of Euro 2016. Photo: Internet

Now, facing Sweden again in a do-or-die match is an opportunity for Italy to continue venting their anger. What could be better for the Tifosi than witnessing their team defeat their North European rivals? A victory would secure coach Ventura's team a ticket to the 2018 World Cup and force their enemy Sweden to stay home and suffer the pain.

Conversely, a defeat would mean Italian fans would have to endure the same pain and humiliation as they did more than 13 years ago. Therefore, the imperative for coach Ventura and his players is nothing less than overcoming Sweden over two legs in the play-off round. To achieve that goal, Italy must secure a favorable result in their away match at Friends Arena.

In terms of strength, Buffon and his teammates have a slight advantage with a host of star players such as Verratti, Insigne, Chiellini, Bonucci, Immobile... Italy also has a superior head-to-head record against the home team in the last 4 encounters (3 wins, 1 draw).

However, this doesn't mean we should underestimate Sweden's chances of winning. The home advantage at Friends Arena is a significant factor for Coach Hamren's team. In their five home games in the 2018 World Cup qualifiers, Sweden won four and drew only once. Their 2-1 victory against France is prime evidence of the Nordic team's strength.

Whether the image of "Cassano's tears" will be repeated for Italy depends heavily on the performance of coach Ventura's team at Friends Arena at 2:45 AM on November 11th.

Thanh Hung