Party, which is fantastic, fantastic this party. L’Italy conquer the finale of Europeans beating the Spain 5-3 after the penalty kicks and a first, liberating joy explodes in the streets at the end of 120 minutes and a series of penalties pure suffering. Let’s face it right away: it was an ordeal, from which the Azzurri seemed to have been pulled out of a splendid goal by Federico Chiesa after an hour of play, trimmed by Alvaro Morata 10 minutes from the 90th. And so, at the end of the evening, they are the parade of Gigi Donnarumma on the penalty beaten by Morata, always him, and the following goal by Jorginho that displaces Unai simon to launch the national team towards the match that will award the trophy.
Luis Enrique spariglia, Italy suffers – Against a Spain that goes out with a very high head after having surprised the blues by shuffling the cards, the eleven chosen by Roberto Mancini they bend, resist supported on at least two occasions by a super Donnarumma and try not to drown under the blows of a possessed Dani Olmo, deployed in the trident without Morata that blows up Italy’s plans. The moves of Luis Enrique delete plans e certainties of Chiellini and his companions, already forced to remodel the left chain due to the injury of Leonardo Spinazzola. Spain dominates with Pedri is exactly Olmo, deployed by false nine, often in support of the midfield but also dangerous in front. Without reference points, the couple Bonucci-Chiellini it has to reorganize itself, but the main problem is the difficulty of building.
Jorginho and Verratti asphyxiated – The duo Koke-Busquets removes oxygen a Jorginho e Verratti with the result that the national team is constantly forced to skip the median, distorting their game. So the Red Furies are always masters of the midfield and therefore of the game, but Donnarumma is careful. One figure tells it all: the only real lightning is of Emerson, triggered by Badge, which centers the crossbar when there are a few seconds before the interval. In only one European match Italy had shot just once towards the opponent’s goal in the first 45 minutes: the semifinal of Euro 2000 against theNetherlands, another evening in apnea resolved on penalties.
The ‘tiraggiro’ of the Church, always him – The plot of the second half is no different. Despite the difficulty, Mancini decides to keep the 11 chosen to start the match. Yet on the 60th, lightning strikes Wembley and freezes Spain. Football is such a sport: you dominate for an hour and then someone’s talent comes to sink in. The fuse ignites it Insigne, Immobile is stopped by Laporte, but Chiesa rushes on the ball and unloads the “Tiraggiro” that has become leit-motiv of these Europeans. Italy puts itself in the mirror, with Berardi which takes the place of Immobile – evanescent again – in a trident that would now resemble that of Luis Enrique. If it weren’t for the fact that he too changes, everything, with Morata, takes the place of Ferran Torres. And the move will be decisive, after the failed assaults of Oyarzabal and Olmo. In fact the whirlwind of changes (Gerard Moreno e Rodri on the one hand, fool e Pessina on the other) ultimately favors Spain.
Morata goals and overtime – Ten minutes from the end, the triangulation between Olmo and Morata sends the Juventus player in front of Donnarumma and this time Gigio can do nothing. Twenty minutes ahead wasted and start again suffering. Other changes are raining, but the game is always the same. Spain masses, controls, sleeps and tries to punish. But Donnarumma defuses everything and between suffering and cramps (Chiesa and Eric Garcia forced to leave) we slip into the last minutes. At that point the Roja, reduce dai additional both in the eighths and in the quarters, he has no more ei penalties they are a scenario already written.
Donnarumma mura, Jorginho gol – And for Italy it doesn’t seem to start well with Locatelli who gets bricked up by Unai Simon. After a high-level match, Olmo shoots her in the stands and immediately rectifies the situation. Belotti it’s cold, like Moreno, Bonucci, Thiago Alcantara and Bernardeschi. So the decisive moment: Donnarumma cancels Morata and Jorginho with Olympic calm sends the ball to the opposite side from Unai Simon. IS fiesta blue and Spanish retreat at Wembley. England or Denmark? After having gone through the storm of Iberian geometries, the Mancini band is ready for anything.
THE LIVE OF THE MATCH
PENALTIES Locatelli saved by Simon; Dani Olmo outside; Belotti goal; G. Moreno gol; Bonucci goal; T. Alcantara goal; Bernardeschi goal; Morata saved by Donnarumma; Jorginho goal. ITALY IN THE FINAL !!!!
120 ‘Final whistle. The finalist is decided on penalties
119′ Last minute, subject to recovery. Tired teams, many mistakes on both sides
118′ Bonucci warned for dangerous play on Morata
114′ Flash on the counterattack for Italy, but the Spanish defense recovers
112′ Dribble of Spain in the blue field: Italy closes everything
110 ′ Italy opportunity! Berardi in percussion, unloads on goal but his shot is blocked
109′ Cramps also for Eric Garcia, in his place Pau Torres
107′ Chiesa can’t make it: he leaves the field to Bernardeschi
106′ It starts again, last 15 ‘. Fifth change for Spain: Thiago Alcantara enters, Sergio Busquets comes out
105′ The first extra period is over
104′ Academy of Spain, which is always in the half of Italy. Cramps for Church
102′ Morata still dangerous on a cross from Gerard Moreno, Donnarumma anticipates him with his fist. On the rejected Llorente’s shot is rejected by Bonucci
100′ Five minutes at the end of the first half of extra time. The last 10 ′ without chills, apart from the melee in the blue area: Spain makes wood, Italy is careful in defense
98 ′ Spain opportunity! Dani Olmo punishment, scrum in the area on the attempts of Morata and a second Spanish player. Ball on the bottom
97′ Toloi warned: late entry on Dani Olmo who had clearly passed him on the left
95′ The first 5 minutes of the overtime passed without jolts. The teams are feeling a bit tired
91′ Once the first overtime has begun, the teams will have a sixth change at their disposal
FINAL WHISTLE, EXTRA TO WEMBLEY It will be played up to 120 ‘at Wembley: the beautiful goal by Chiesa is not enough for Italy, because with 10 minutes from the end Morata brings the match back in a draw. For Spain this is the third extra after the round of 16, while the Azzurri needed the extra time only in the round of 16 against Austria.
92′ Sixty seconds into extra time, the last chance for the two teams
90 ‘Three minutes of recovery
89′ Last turn of the clock, then recovery: great tension at Wembley
85′ Double change for Mancini: Locatelli and Belotti take the place of Barella and Insigne. Marcos Llorente enters for Azpilicueta
80 ‘GOAL OF MORATA! Triangulation between the Juventus striker and Dani Olmo: Morata controls well and stabs Donnarumma with his left
73′ Two changes for Italy: Toloi and Pessina take the place of Emerson and Verratti
72′ Donnarumma error with feet under construction, Spain close to recovery
70′ Another change for Luis Enrique: in Rodri for Koke and Gerard Moreno for Oyarzabal
67 ′ Italy opportunity! Berardi, primed by Chiesa, is alone in front of Unai Simon but in a tight angle: his shot ends up on the Spanish goalkeeper
61′ A change for each side after the goal: Berardi enters Italy for Immobile, Spain enters Morata instead of Ferran Torres
59 ‘GOAL OF THE CHURCH! Insigne starts again on the left, through a pass through the building which is walled up. But the ball remains there and Chiesa rushes in: an amazing right-footed shot and the Azzurri took the lead
53 ′ Response from Italy! Insigne goes to the left, serve for Barella who overturns for Chiesa but the right hand of the Juventus winger is strangled. Unai Simon stretches out and freezes
52 ‘Danger Spain! Oyarzabal lunge to the right, serve for Busquets who shoots high
51′ Sergio Busquets warned: first yellow card of the match for the Barcelona midfielder for a foul on Verratti
50 ′ Spain opportunity! Dani Olmo triggers Fernan Torres, but Di Lorenzo’s diagonal is perfect. The full-back closes for a corner
48′ Italy restarts with greater verve after the rest. Higher team and more ball possession. Balance now at Wembley
46 ′ We start again! No change after the break, the same 22 who started the game return to the field
END OF FIRST HALF – First period of suffering for Italy, with Spain dominating in midfield thanks to Pedri and the movements of Dani Olmo, deployed as a false nueve, often supporting in midfield but also dangerous in the realization phase. Luis Enrique blows up the blue plans by changing 4 men, including Morata. So Spain removes reference points from Bonucci-Chiellini and is good with the pair Koke-Busquets to cut off the oxygen to Jorginho and Verratti. Result: Italy struggles to build. The Azzurri are always forced to skip the midfield, distorting their game. While Spain is the mistress of the midfield and often comes from the parts of Donnarumma, always attentive. Lightning in the final for Italy with Emerson, triggered by Insigne, but the shot from the left winger hits the crossbar: it was the first blue shot on goal in the match
45 ′ Italy opportunity! Insigne triggers Emerson: crossbar from the outside
38′ Difficult game for Italy: Spain are controlling the game with a precise and dense ball possession, which forces the Azzurri to chase. And when the ball is between the feet of Mancini’s boys, Roja immediately removes oxygen from the good feet of Verratti and Jorginho, forcing them to throw long
25 ′ Spain again! Nice maneuver by Roja on yet another wrong postponement by the Azzurri, then Dani Olmo unloads the right from the edge but Donnarumma is careful and rejects
21 ′ Italy opportunity! Triangle on the left between Emerson and Insigne, the winger puts in the center but neither Immobile nor Barella find the time to kick on goal
15′ New opportunity for Spain on a mistake by Barella in midfield. Ferran Torres is quick to recover the ball, Jorginho jumps but his shot is too closed and ends up on the side of Donnarumma
13 ′ Spain danger! First opportunity for the Spaniards: Pedri imbecca Oyarzabal between Bonucci and Chiellini, but the striker loses time alone in front of Donnarumma and Emerson sweeps.
11′ Spain gains meters with its dense network of passages and thus advances its center of gravity. So far the Azzurri have been careful to control the Red Furies from the trocar up
7′ Very short teams and few spaces to build. Spain dribbles more, Italy shrewd in defense and ready to restart
3′ Italy’s first verticalization, a shot by Barella who shoots from a tight angle and hits the post. But offside
1′ Kick-off whistle. Go to the semifinal
Teams in the field
The two teams are on the pitch, performed the national anthems.
Tribute to Raffaella Carrà
At the request of the Football Federation to Uefa it was included in the playlist used for the warm-up before the match ‘A make love begins you’, one of his most loved songs and ballads. On the stands there are some banners dedicated to the Carrà by the Azzurri fans.
The official formations
Mancini chooses the usual 4-3-3 with Donnarumma; Di Lorenzo, Bonucci, Chiellini, Emerson; Barella, Jorginho, Verratti; Church, Building, Insigne. These are the eleven sent by Luis Enrique: Simon; Azpilicueta, Eric Garcia, Laporte, Jordi Alba; Koke, Busquets, Pedri; Ferran Torres, Dani Olmo, Oyarzabal. Coach Luis Enrique
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