Kick-off on 26.03.23 21:45.

In the autumn, the Knights of Malta played a series of control matches. The Falcons achieved a strong victory over Israel, coming from behind to win 2-1 in the 84th minute, and nearly defeated Greece in Ta-Kali, but conceded a late goal to draw 2-2. The Reds also played against Ireland, losing 0-1. The Azzurri defeated Albania in Tirana thanks to a brace from Grifo, 3-1, but then suffered a 0-2 loss against Austria in Vienna.

The match between Malta and Italy can be watched online. These teams have played together in the qualifying rounds of the European Championships in 1988 and 2016. In both away matches, the Azzurri were stronger (2-0 and 1-0). Since 2021, the Maltese team have only won two victories in official home matches, against Cyprus in the 2022 World Cup qualifiers (3-0) and San Marino in the previous Nations League (1-0). In their last fourteen home games, they have only recorded one draw.

The Azzurri have won three out of their last nine away matches. Mancini does not believe that having three Serie A teams in the Champions League quarter-finals signifies a revival of Italian football. The match between Malta and Italy can be watched online. According to Roberto, this could only be said if the team had at least five compatriots in their lineup. The coach also complained about the shortage of players in the attacking line, which is why the Argentinean Retegui, who plays for Tigre, ended up in the national team. Although Mateo has Italian roots, he only played for the Albiceleste at the youth level, so there are no barriers to fielding him in the Azzurri. Mancini notes that the forward possesses qualities that are lacking in his squad.

In January 2023, the Azzurri received a new technical sponsor - Adidas. For twenty years, another sports brand, Puma, had fulfilled this role. The national team's kit has also been updated. The match between Malta and Italy can be watched online.