Italy defender Leonardo Bonucci believes Spain are favourites ahead of their 2018 World Cup qualifier in Turin today.

The two sides renew their rivalry at the Juventus Stadium just over three months after the Azzurri claimed a dramatic 2-0 victory over La Roja at Euro 2016 in June, ending Spain’s hopes of a record third consecutive European Championship title.

The defeat saw an end to Vicente del Bosque’s reign, with Julen Lopetegui stepping in, and Spain have since scored 10 goals in two games – beating Roberto Martinez’s Belgium 2-0 before putting eight past minnows Liechtenstein in their opening Group G qualifier.

The Azzurri, who have also undergone a managerial change with Giampiero Ventura replacing Antonio Conte, recorded a 3-1 win over Israel in Haifa despite playing with 10 men and Bonucci warned his side to expect a tough test against Spain.

“We’re expecting a different Spain side with respect to the one we faced at the Euros,” he told a press conference yesterday.

“They will have fresh motivation, they’ll be in a new state of mind and looking to avenge their Euro 2016 defeat. We have to step up a gear with respect to how we played against Israel.”

When asked if Spain are favourites in Turin, the Juventus defender answered: “Totally, yes. And if we’re to upset predictions we’ll have to play like we did at the Euros, with pace, commitment and by being clinical in front of goal.”

Italy will be without Bonucci’s central defensive partner Giorgio Chiellini, who will serve a suspension after his red card against Israel last month, meaning Milan’s Alessio Romagnoli should replace him.

Napoli and Spain forward Jose Callejon, who has been recalled to the national side for the first time since 2014, expects the match to be a tactical affair.

“It will be tactical, they’ll pressure us at the top, that’s what Ventura’s teams tend to play,” he said.

“It’s a motivating rival, one of the best national teams and we play away. The Italy match could place us at the top of the standings, we have to look at it like that and try to win.”

Manchester United midfielder Ander Herrera could earn his first senior cap for Spain after being called up by Lopetegui.

From the same group, Albania look to build on their opening win over Macedonia when they travel to Liechtenstein while Macedonia and Israel clash in Skopje.

In Group I, Iceland coach Heimir Hallgrimsson says his team must learn to cope with a new weight of expectation ahead of their clash with Finland in Reykjavik.

Hallgrimsson partnered with Lars Lagerback to inspire his team’s improbable run to the quarter-finals of the Euro Championship in France this summer.

And they have already proved that run was no fluke after claiming a strong point in their opening fixture away to Ukraine last month.

Hallgrimsson said: “Nobody is underestimating Iceland any more.

“It’s the toughest group, the only one with four teams who played in the Euro finals. The benefit is that it’s so even.”

Finland will be playing to restore some pride after being held to an embarrassing 1-1 draw by Kosovo last month in what was their opponents’ first competitive fixture.

From the same group, Turkey and Ukraine meet in Konya with both sides searching for their first win in the group having drawn their opening games against Croatia and Iceland respectively.

Turkey coach Fatih Terim goes into the game under some pressure following his controversial decision not to recall star names including Arda Turan, Selcuk Inan and Burak Yilmaz – whom he dropped in the wake of the team’s disappointing Euro 2016.

World Cup fixtures

Group A

Playing tomorrow
France vs Bulgaria - 20.45  
Luxembourg vs Sweden - 20.45  
Netherlands vs Belarus - 20.45

Group B

Playing tomorrow
Hungary vs Switzerland - 20.45  
Portugal vs Andorra - 20.45  
Latvia vs Faroe Islands - 20.45

Group C

Playing Saturday
Azerbaijan vs Norway - 18.00
Germany vs Czech Republic - 20.45
N. Ireland vs San Marino - 20.45

Group D

Playing today
Austria vs Wales - 20.45
Ireland vs Georgia - 20.45
Moldova vs Serbia - 20.45

Group E

Playing Saturday
Armenia vs Romania - 18.00
Montenegro vs Kazakhstan - 18.00
Poland vs Denmark - 20.45

Group F

Playing Saturday
England vs Malta - 18.00
Scotland vs Lithuania - 20.45
Slovenia vs Slovakia - 20.45

Group G

Playing today
Italy vs Spain - 20.45
Liechtenstein vs Albania - 20.45
Macedonia vs Israel - 20.45

Group H

Playing tomorrow
Belgium vs Bosnia - 20.45  
Greece vs Cyprus - 20.45  
Estonia vs Gibraltar - 20.45

Group I

Playing today
Iceland vs Finland - 20.45
Kosovo vs Croatia - 20.45
Turkey vs Ukraine - 20.45