Italy U19 vs Serbia U19 Prediction 29.06.2026 | UEFA U19 EURO

Italy Under-19s arrive at this summer's tournament carrying the weight of considerable expectations, with many viewing them as one of the leading contenders for the continental crown, while this exceptionally talented generation will also be highly motivated to follow in the footsteps of their Under-17 counterparts, who lifted the European Championship trophy in Estonia earlier this month.

The Italian Football Federation's long-term investment in youth development has begun to yield significant rewards in recent years, and head coach Alberto Bollini has assembled a physically imposing and tactically mature squad that navigated the Elite Round qualification campaign with relative ease, collecting seven points from a possible nine.

Perhaps the most encouraging aspect of the Azzurrini's recent form has been their remarkable defensive consistency, as they have conceded more than once in a match only a single time across their previous 15 fixtures in all competitions, a statistic that should provide considerable confidence ahead of their opening-day encounter against their Balkan opponents.

Much of Italy's attacking responsibility is expected to fall upon Roma youngster Antonio Arena, who played a pivotal role during the qualification campaign by contributing three goals and one assist, and the highly rated forward is once again set to spearhead the attack as he looks to cause significant problems for the opposition backline.

Meanwhile, Serbia arrive at the tournament celebrating a welcome return to the continental stage, with the Young Eagles making their first appearance at the Under-19 European Championship finals since 2022, and they will now be determined to showcase the considerable talent and potential possessed by this highly regarded generation.

The young Orlici booked their place in Wales after successfully navigating a particularly demanding elite-round group, where they stunned England with a commanding 2-0 victory, earned an impressive 1-1 draw against Portugal, and ultimately secured top spot courtesy of a crucial 1-0 success over Poland on the final matchday.

However, preparations for the tournament have been far from ideal for Gordan Petric's side, as a narrow victory over Greece was followed by a disappointing 3-1 defeat to Kazakhstan and a predictable 1-0 loss against Portugal in their final warm-up fixture, although Serbia have repeatedly demonstrated their resilience and fighting spirit whenever the pressure has been at its highest.

The Young Eagles have also been dealt several setbacks ahead of the European Championship finals, with a number of players forced to withdraw due to club commitments and others sidelined through injury, while the absence of Basel midfielder Andrej Bacanin represents another significant blow to Petric's plans heading into the competition.