Wales’ best chance is ‘if Italy play the reserves’, says Giggs

BUCHAREST: Wales coach Ryan Giggs joked Saturday that the best way of beating Italy at Euro 2020 would be if they “play the reserves”.

Returning to the European championships for just the second time, Wales were placed with Italy, Turkey and Switzerland in Group A in the draw in Bucharest.

The Welsh will play their first two games in the Azerbaijani capital Baku before facing Italy, who are back in form a er missing the 2018 World Cup finals, in their final group match in Rome.

“Italy are the standout team in our group. It won’t be easy but if we have all our players we’ll compete against all of them,” Giggs said.

“Hopefully when we play Italy they will have six points already and will play the reserves.”

Giggs said he was relieved not to be in a tough-looking Group F that features World Cup holders France, three-time European champions Germany and holders Portugal. “We knew we were going to be in group A or B but I loved that we were not in Group F.”

Wales had never qualified for a European championships before

2016 and the former Manchester United star said he was determined to show his nation of just over three million people belong at major tournaments.

“I think that’s really important.. so o en for me as a player we would get nearly there and then the next campaign we would be nowhere near.

“So the last three tournaments now, qualifying in the Euros, nearly there in the World Cup and now qualifying again in the Euros, that is where we want to be as a country. We want to be at major tournaments.”

“We’ve got a good crop of young players coming through and now they are going to get a taste of what it’s like in the Euro, so exciting times.”