The round of 16 of Euro 2024 will start today with the rivalry, with unfinished business, between Italy, the champion, and Switzerland, which showed its potential and ambition by tying for 23rd against Germany ( 1-1 in group A). Luciano Spalletti, ‘azzurro’ coach, seemed nervous after the 1-1 draw on the last day of the first stage, against Croatia, in B.
And Italy showed its problems at the start of its Euro Cup where it defended the title it won at Wembley on penalties against England in 2021.
Spalletti was accused of many doubts in his search for a method and a typical team. Gianluigi Donnarumma, their goalkeeper and captain, supports Italy. And Riccardo Calafiori, despite his own goal against Spain, was in the perfect eleven of the first period. But Gianluca Scamacca and Mateo Retegui have yet to score. Calafiori, suspended, will not be able to play this afternoon and Gianluca Mancini will replace him. Spalletti confirmed that he will vary and play with a defensive 4. But Bastoni, who has a fever, will be examined today. Normally, Federico Dimarco is on sick leave.
The stage is a talisman for Italy, who were declared world champions for the last time at the Olympiastadion in Berlin in 2006 (on penalties against France). And, as El Shaarawy emphasized, “Italy never dies or surrenders.” In front of the ‘azzurri’ they will have a Switzerland that has not forgotten its 3-0 defeat against Italy in the group stage of Euro 2020 (played in 2021 due to the pandemic). Switzerland will rely on the form of the Bologna trio, Michel Aebischer, Dan Ndoye and Remo Freuler, and on one of Xabi Alonso’s B. Leverkusen pillars, Granit Xhaka.
History is with Italy, who have not lost to Switzerland in 31 years. Of the 59 games between the two, the Swiss won 8, to Italy’s 28. But pending accounts are on both sides.
Remo Freuler ‘hurt’ Italy by recalling that 1-1 against Switzerland sent the ‘azzurri’ into the play-offs for the 2022 World Cup in Qatar, where they fell to North Macedonia and were left in events. Switzerland topped group C of that phase for the 2022 World Cup and Italy, second. “We are in Qatar, not like Italy,” said the Bologna player, who later apologized.
Source: La Verdad
I’m Rose Herman and I work as an author for Today Times Live. My expertise lies in writing about sports, a passion of mine that has been with me since childhood. As part of my job, I provide comprehensive coverage on everything from football to tennis to golf.
