Ripon restaurateur Franco Fantoni has got the blues when thinking about the Azzurri’s chances at Wembley on Sunday.

The owner of Prima Ristorante Italiano in Kirkgate is pessimistic as he prepares for the big match.

He believes that Roberto Mancini’s team will be beaten by Gareth Southgate’s golden boys.

Mr Fantoni told the Stray Ferret:

“Sadly, I think we’re going to lose.

“England have played better football than us and I predict they will win 2-0.”

Will Gareth Southgate’s team have the last laugh against Italy on Sunday?

The lifelong football fan comes from Bergamo in the Lombardy region of northern Italy and is a seasoned student of football in his native and adopted countries.

Back in the place of his birth, he supports Serie A team Atalanta BC, but he also enjoys the English version of the beautiful game and said:

“Since moving to England in 1973, I’ve followed Leeds United and have been a season ticket holder for more than 30 years.”

Mr Fantoni, who has owned the multi-award-winning Prima Ristorante for 36 years, is convinced that his countrymen will taste defeat, but the four-times Fifa World Cup winners go to Wembley with an unbeaten run of 33 games behind them.

They were also the 1968 Euro Champions.

In contrast, England have just the 1966 World Cup win to their name in major international tournaments and are attempting to bring 55 years of hurt, disappointment and under-achievement to an end.

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The Azzurri have been tactically astute when the heat has been on, most noticeably in the pressure-cooker atmosphere of quarter and semi-final games against Belgium and Spain respectively.

If Italy can serve up yet another winning Euro performance in the three lions’ den, Mr Fantoni will have to eat his words – but it’s a dish he will happily swallow.