European champions Italy could face Cristiano Ronaldo's Portugal in a winner-takes-all World Cup playoff final in March.
Portugal and Italy, winners of the last two editions of the European Championship, failed to top their World Cup qualifying group, missing out to Serbia and Switzerland respectively.
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It means both must enter the new playoff system, featuring 12 teams battling for three places at Qatar 2022, and while both are seeded in the semifinal draw they could be placed into the same path and play each other.