Italy is in the European Championship final, Spain is going home: The Azzurri can continue to dream of the title after their 4-2 semi-final victory. The appearance of Roberto Mancini’s team was not only praised in their own country. The press reviews on the game.
For Italy, the dream of the second European title after 1968 continues: In a highly intense match, coach Roberto Mancini’s team only beat Spain 4-2 on penalties on Tuesday evening. “It was a tough game, they got us into trouble and we suffered,” said Mancini after reaching the finals.
After the missed World Cup qualification in 2018, the extraordinary success story of the Italians continues: Thanks to the win against Spain, the Azzurri have now been unbeaten for 33 games in a row, next Sunday it will be in the final in London – opponents will then be Denmark or England – for the long-awaited second European Championship title.
This is how the press commented on yesterday’s duel between the two football giants:
Italy
“Gazzetta dello Sport”: “Fiesta! A heroic Italy at Wembley: Finale! What a pain, Spain conquered on penalties. In the end we won it the Italian way: with a knife between our teeth, with the ability to defend, suffer and get up again . We don’t stop anymore. “
“Tuttosport”: “What lions! You are our brothers of Italy! Chiesa and Morata, then it’s a fight until you win a penalty shootout.”
“Corriere dello Sport”: “God is Italian! Spain knockout in the final, an irrepressible joy! 11 meters of luck. Italy is still great, we are in the European Championship final for the fourth time. The penalty shoot-out decides after 120 minutes of suffering. Mancini’s masterpiece.”
Spain
“Brand”: Luis Enrique, a great coach and the winner of the Eurocup. Luis Enrique managed to turn the situation around completely. Something unusual in football. He left Wembley after Italy won on penalties, but he did so to the cheers and applause of the fans and from afar, from its critics. Spain is once again proud of football and its national team, thanks to him. The photo at the end of the game with a happy Luis Enrique is not a pose. “
“Sports world”: “The Spanish team failed in the semi-finals of the European Championship on penalties against Italy, but made it clear that they have returned to the elite of European football after a dark period. The players around Luis Enrique are reliable and fought until the end. Yesterday Spain went up Mainly in a tournament where there was a lot more football than its competitors. There is a future. Luis Enrique leads a team with footballers with a long history like Eric Garcia, Pedri, Dani Olmo, Ferran Torres, Unai, Rodri, Oyarzabal or Pau Torres and veterans who frame the explosion of those who are still hungry with their experience. “
“AS”: “Maximum penalty. Italy make it to penalties where Olmo and Morata fail. La Roja delivers a great game, but to no avail.”
“Sport”: “The penalties that allowed Spain to sneak into the semi-finals against Italy have now taken them out of the Eurocup, they are a lottery that sometimes smiles at you and sometimes, like yesterday, destroys an incredible game and an overwhelming dominance in overtime. What Spain is taking away from this European Championship is proof that Luis Enrique is the ideal coach, even if not everyone likes him, but he has a plan and is ready to implement it. This and the youth of the squad, an average of 25 years, should be enough for this team to achieve great things at the World Cup. This selection was a valuable gift during this European Championship and has become the best possible selection for the Nations League final and the 2022 World Cup. “
“The country”: “Luis Enrique’s team made the football, Mancini’s team won. It took a penalty shoot-out that Spain didn’t deserve. The die was cast. Dani Olmo, by far the best of the game, and Morata, author of the Tied, failed. La Roja did not benefit from its superiority and was stranded. But there are such and such defeats. The failure of this team is not a blemish. The team is growing and the Pedri, Unai, Olmo and Co. can now safely announce: Present ! There are things that need to be improved, but there are a group of players who did it wonderfully. “
“The world”: “Spain died an honorable death at Wembley. All credit for a new, courageous and honest national team. Spain have a great team and this Tuesday was better than Italy in a decade. Luis Enrique’s young team shone at Wembley and just maybe lacking Temperament in the last meters prevented the victory. “
France
“The Team”: “Italy remains Italy – The Italians were harassed by the Spaniards who took possession of the ball. They (the Italians) resisted until the end to force a qualification for the final after a penalty shoot-out.”
“The Parisian”: “La Squadra writes their fate – they form a team with all possibilities. She was joyful and brilliant in the quarter-finals against Belgium (and) turned into half a hedgehog, who pricked out the spikes at the right moment (…).”
Poland
“Przeglad Sportowy”: “Italy was not pretty, but successful. What a shocker at Wembley!”
“Gazeta Wyborcza”: “Another extra time, another penalty shoot-out, another thriller. But this time the Spaniards didn’t hold out. The Italians are in the final.”
“Superexpress”: “The first semifinals of Euro 2020 did not disappoint the fans: From the first to the last minute they saw a game that was a real struggle.”
Great Britain
“The Daily Telegraph”: “Roberto Mancini’s unstoppable boys in blue may just look at England or Denmark as just another step on their path (to the title) and you can’t blame them for that confidence, given the way they hit Spain in 120 minutes and nine penalties have conquered. “
“The Guardian”: “Italy were on the defensive for most of the semi-final game, but Roberto Mancini’s tinkering was what made the difference (to the success) against Spain.”
“The Times”: “Italy have managed to be unbeaten in 33 games, but none of these encounters could have put them to the test as they did in this game against the Spaniards who just missed out on both season and season Penalties shoot.”
Sweden
“Aftonbladet”: “What a wonderful, stormy sea battle of a soccer game! It is impossible not to have the deepest admiration for these triumphant Italian gladiators. And it is impossible not to feel genuinely happy to see something like this again. This was a classic, a full bloody classic. “
Denmark
“Ekstra Bladet”: “Italy is ready for the final after a real drama at Wembley. It almost turned into a midnight drama in the English capital, where the whole thing had to be decided from the penalty spot after 120 minutes of football. Italy play the final on Sunday, Spain travel to the with tears Eyes home. “
I have been working in the news industry for over 6 years, first as a reporter and now as an editor. I have covered politics extensively, and my work has appeared in major newspapers and online news outlets around the world. In addition to my writing, I also contribute regularly to 24 Hours World.
