Euro 2020: Italy vs Spain — Semi-Final Preview & Prediction
By: The Spot
Tags: Football, Italy, Euro, Spain, Europe

Syed Suboor Abbas

In their absolute tiki-taka splendor, Spain battered Italy by four goals to nothing in the final of UEFA Euro 2012. The loss echoed in the Azzurri minds for a long time and while some may say that the Italians exacted a measure of revenge for their humbling defeat when the two sides met in Paris, four years later, in the round-of-16 of Euro 2016 with a 2–0 win, we believe the loss may still sting, nine years on. However, Roberto Mancini’s men must be licking their chops now at the thought of meeting La Furia Roja in the first semi-final of Euro 2020.

Luis Enrique’s boys haven’t hit top form this summer and it took them an anxious penalty shootout after 120 minutes of football to get the better of a ten-man Swiss side. Meanwhile, the Italians come to Wembley on a 13-match winning streak and are also unbeaten in the last 32. Their blistering pace and clinical finishing have seen them run rampant, putting their opponents to the sword one after the other. However, writing off Spain would still be harsh and unintelligent.

While La Roja have had a hard time finishing off minnows, a top-tier team like Italy may bring out the best in them, as has been the case more often than not. With the turbulent run, Spain have had at the tournament, it’s tough to assess where they stand in this fixture. While the Azzurri have been the most consistent team in terms of results, this Spanish side is more than capable of causing havoc against anyone, on their day. La Roja have created the most xG and they score a lot of goals, but they miss even more. There has been a rainbow spread of scorned opportunities.

However, the killer instinct is there in Lucho’s team. They keep going at the opposition defense and to put this into perspective, they beat Croatia in the round-of-16 by five goals to three, although, it took them an extra thirty minutes to do so. They have a stomach for the fight. It runs in the DNA of this team. Despite all their struggles, they have eventually made it out every single time.

On the other side of the ledger, is a “do it all” team. Mancini’s Italy play an attacking possession-based game, with their midfield trio running the show. With Marco Veratti’s technicality, Jorginho’s vision and Nicolo Barella’s ability on the ball, the Italians can move the ball quickly in and around the channels. However, the Azzurri are also solid at the back. Giorgio Chiellini and Leonardo Bonucci’s exceptional defensive partnership coupled with Gianluigi Donnarumma’s capability between the sticks has seen them concede very few chances at the competition.

The strength of this team is their unity. They fight together and they win together. None of the players are scared of losing the ball because they operate as a unit. This is what helps the likes of Barella, Veratti, Lorenzo Insigne & Federico Chiesa amongst others, who are willing runners on & off the ball. While the “star” of this team is the group, Leonardo Spinazzola has been their standout performer at Euro 2020, until his tournament was cut short due to an Achilles injury in the game against Belgium. This comes as a huge blow to Mancini and his team and doubts will be clouding over, but a place in the final of UEFA Euro 2020 at Wembley should be enough motivation for the Azzurri.

Prediction: We expect a lot of shadow boxing in this game, before the knockout blow. Plenty of chances will be created at both ends, and it will be a question about whose defense is better. Despite all the attacking talent and game-changers in the Spanish squad, it’s tough to look past their recent form and struggles in front of goal. On the contrary, Italy put on a show against World №1, Belgium, last time out, and the penultimate hurdle will prove to be the ultimate hurdle for La Roja when they meet the Azzurri in the first semi-final at Wembley. Our pick is Italy.

Who do you fancy to become the first finalist of Euro 2020? Let us know in the comments and do share your feedback.