The Azzurre get their Nations League campaign back under way this week against reigning World Cup champions, and leader of Group D with two wins in as many games against Sweden and Switzerland, Spain. Taking a look at previous meetings, Italy have a better record over the Spaniards thanks to ten wins and two draws between 1971 and 2002, before a rapid growth in the Women's movement in Spain, culminating in a World Cup triumph in August. Since 2002, we have failed to beat Spain: four games, two defeats and two draws. In total, there have been 17 meetings between the two nations, the last one being a 1-1 draw in Castel di Sangro on 1 July 2022, with goals from Bergamaschi and Ballon d'Or winner Alexia Putellas. The head-to-head record reads eleven Azzurre victories, four draws and two Spanish wins.

Four days later, we face Sweden, who we haven't beaten them since 2018 (a friendly in Cremona decided by Sabatino's goal). Since then, Italy have drawn once and been beaten twice. Also, the overall head-to-head record is negative: four wins, five draws and 17 defeats in 26 meetings, with only one point collected away from home in nine games. Not a great record, especially in big tournaments, like in the last World Cup (5-0). Sweden also came out on top at the 2009 European Championships: 2-0 in Turku, Finland (goals from Schlein and Asllani). It was the same outcome in 2013 (in Halmstad, Sweden), a 3-1 defeat (Manieri O.G., Schelin, Oqvist, Gabbiadini). In 1989, in the 3rd-placed play-off final in Osnabruck, Germany, it ended 2-1 (Ferraguzzi 27', Sundhage 43', Johansson 93). In 1984, in the semi-final of UEFA's first-ever Women's Championships, the two teams faced each other twice: in Rome (2-3, Morace and Vignotto; Sundhage, Borjesson and Furlotti O.G.) and Linkoping (2-1 with goals from Sundhage and Uusitalo, and Morace for Italy). The Swedes eventually won the tournament beating England; Italy finished third with Denmark.

Two positive previous results have come at the Euros though: in the Netherlands in 2017 (in Doetinchem), with Italy winning 3-2 (Sabatino, Schelin, Sabatino Blackstenius, and Girelli's decisive goal after 85’); and in 1990 in a Euro ’91 quarter-final in November (1-1 in Malmo, with goals from Sundhage and Carta) and December (0-0 in Castellamare di Stabia): Italy eventually ended 4th.