Soccer-Time for Italy's Immobile to shine on international stage

Italy striker Ciro Immobile has often struggled to replicate his scoring form for Lazio on the international stage but if he does the resolute Italians have every chance of Euro 2020 success. The Azzurri have come a long way since their humiliating failure to qualify for the 2018 World Cup. Italy are unbeaten in 25 matches, their joint-second longest run.

Italy striker Ciro Immobile has often struggled to replicate his scoring form for Lazio on the international stage but if he does the resolute Italians have every chance of Euro 2020 success.

The Azzurri have come a long way since their humiliating failure to qualify for the 2018 World Cup. Italy are unbeaten in 25 matches, their joint-second longest run. Their much-improved defence, one that resembles the resolute Catenaccio-style backlines of old, is among the main reasons for that. Roberto Mancini's side conceded only six goals in 16 games in their Euro 2020 qualifying and Nations League campaigns.

But if they are going to take home a second European Championship title this year, they will need goals to fire them to glory. On paper, there is only one man for the job. Immobile's strike against Parma on May 12 took him to 150 goals for Lazio in all competitions and he has scored at least 20 league goals in four of the last five seasons.

Since Immobile's Lazio debut only Robert Lewandowski, Lionel Messi, Cristiano Ronaldo, Harry Kane and Kylian Mbappe have scored more among the top-five European leagues' players. For his country, while Immobile's record is respectable, consistency has always been an issue.

Italy's top scorer with six in the 2018 World Cup qualifying campaign, Immobile failed to find the net in either leg of the playoff defeat by Sweden, leaving him as one of the scapegoats for the nation's embarrassment. The fact he went on a long international scoring drought after that did not help. His overall total of 12 goals from 45 internationals does not match up to his domestic record.

In the run-up to this year's delayed Euro 2020 tournament Immobile got one monkey off his back by scoring against Northern Ireland in Italy's 2-0 World Cup qualifying win in March. "I felt a weight off my shoulders because I hadn't scored from open play for a year and a half for Italy," Immobile told RAI Sport. "I let it all out after the third chance went in.

"Having competition for places makes you more determined to find the net." That competition comes in the shape of Andrea Belotti but, as the season drew to a close, the Torino striker's goals dried up, with one in his last six matches. Immobile, the mark of domestic consistency, has added four in that time.

It remains to be seen if Immobile can translate club form into goals for Italy but if he does they could be a real force.

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