The 2024 European Championship in Germany is currently in full swing. Just like for the other countries, the second matchday is approaching for both Spain and Italy. These two nations will face each other at the Veltins-Arena in Gelsenkirchen in the battle for the top spot in their group. Read all about it in this article.
Spain vs. Italy
These two countries first played against each other at the 1920 Olympic Games in Antwerp, where Spain emerged victorious with a 2-0 win. In total, Spain and Italy have faced off 40 times, with Spain winning 13 matches and Italy 11. The remaining 16 games ended in a draw.
Their most recent encounter was a year ago during the 2022-2023 Nations League, where Spain won 2-1. The goalscorers in that match were Yeremi Pino and Joselu for Spain, and Ciro Immobile for Italy. Pino and Immobile are not present at this European Championship, but Joselu has been called up again.
Spain
As the only country to have ever defended the European Championship title, Spain’s goal is clear: to seek another successful period. Additionally, with another victory, they would surpass Germany as the country with the most European Championship titles. This Spanish team could reach great heights, bolstered by last year’s Nations League victory. However, they still need to recover from the penalty defeat and subsequent elimination by Morocco.
On the first matchday, Spain won 3-0 against Croatia. The scoreline may seem convincing, but the match itself was less straightforward. Croatia actually had more shots than their opponent, but both teams ultimately had five shots on target. Spain proved to be the more efficient team, with goals from Alvaro Morata, Fabian Ruiz, and Dani Carvajal, all scored in the first half.
In that initial match, Lamine Yamal became the youngest player ever in a European Championship. The young Barcelona forward has only played eight matches for the Spanish team but has already proven himself in La Liga and the Champions League. He didn’t score against Croatia but performed well and assisted Dani Carvajal.
Another key player for Spain is Rodri. The 27-year-old Manchester City midfielder frequently initiated Spain’s attacks. City coach Pep Guardiola stated last year that he is “the best in Europe.”
Italy
The defending champion from the 2020 European Championship, which was played in 2021 due to circumstances, comes to this tournament aiming to replicate their success from three years ago. ‘La Squadra Azzurra’ (the Blue Team) has lost a few key players since that victorious European Championship but still boasts a lot of talent, with many players coming from their domestic league.
Italy’s first matchday was somewhat more challenging. They conceded a goal in the first minute after a poor throw-in from Italian defender Dimarco, which Albania converted into a goal. Nedim Bajrami scored the fastest goal ever in a European Championship, finding the net after just 23 seconds. Ten minutes later, Alessandro Bastoni equalized, and five minutes after that, Nicolo Barella put Italy ahead.
For Italy, no single player stood out, but some sources praised Nicolo Barella’s performance. The Inter Milan midfielder, who scored Italy’s winning goal, has just returned from an injury. He missed both preparatory matches but was able to train a few times. On the field, he dispelled any doubts about his injury with his fantastic goal.
Another key player for Italy is Gianluigi Donnarumma. The PSG goalkeeper was named Player of the Tournament and Europe’s Best Goalkeeper in 2021. This season, he kept 16 clean sheets for his French club. Other players like Leonardo Bonucci and Giorgio Chiellini, who strengthened Italy’s defense in the 2020 European Championship, are not present this time.
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