Gigi Buffon, Thiago Motta and Ignazio Abate step into the Italy side to face Group D leaders Costa Rica.
It kicks off at 17.00 UK time (16.00 GMT) in Recife, which at local time is 13.00.
Gigi Buffon, Thiago Motta and Ignazio Abate step into the Italy side to face Group D leaders Costa Rica.
It kicks off at 17.00 UK time (16.00 GMT) in Recife, which at local time is 13.00.
The Azzurri won their opening game by beating England 2-1, while Costa Rica caused a huge upset by thrashing Uruguay 3-1.
A victory today would practically put the Nazionale into the next round, pending the final match against Luis Suarez’s Uruguay on Tuesday.
Buffon missed the England tie with a sprained left ankle, but he returns to the goalmouth today in place of Salvatore Sirigu.
There were doubts over whether Andrea Barzagli would start due to a tendon problem, but he is included with Giorgio Chiellini moved back into the centre.
Instead, Ignazio Abate comes in at right-back and Matteo Darmian of Torino moves over to the left, benching Parma defender Gabriel Paletta.
Thiago Motta takes over from his Paris Saint-Germain teammate Marco Verratti, who is rested after suffering from flu symptoms, as dual playmaker alongside Andrea Pirlo.
The rest of the side remains untouched from the one that beat England in Manaus last Saturday night.
Costa Rica are remarkably the Group D leaders on goal difference, having caused a massive upset by defeating Uruguay 3-1.
They play counter-attacking football and came back from a goal down to win that fixture with an inspirational Joel Campbell.
Italy will have more fans than usual today, as England need them to win in order to retain any hope of qualification.
Italy: Buffon; Abate, Barzagli, Chiellini, Darmian; De Rossi; Candreva, Pirlo, Motta, Marchisio; Balotelli
Costa Rica: Navas; Gamboa, Duarte, Gonzalez, Umana, Diaz; Ruiz, Borges, Tejeda, Bolanos; Campbell