Euro 2024 is providing another thrilling chapter in the storied rivalry between Italy and Spain. This Mediterranean derby, the 41st clash between the two teams since the 1920s, has seen ‘La Furia Roja’ emerge victorious 13 times; the Azzurri claim 11 wins and a total of 14 draws. The rich history and intense competition between these two powerhouses make this match a must-watch, filled with end-to-end drama.
Nevertheless, Spanish head coach Luis de La Fuente expects to challenge with horizontal possession. Since 2013, he has been the ‘entrenador’ of Spain’s U19, U21 and U23 squads, rising with the players into the national team in Euro 2024.
Despite Spain having a shoo-in on Italy from defeating them in the final of Euro 2012, Spanish soccer has been inferior to Italian soccer in more recent years in European play. Italy eliminated ‘La Furia Roja’ in the semifinals and quarterfinals of Euro 2020 and Euro 2016, respectively.
These two powerhouses collide in their eighth encounter at the Euros in the competition’s history. As always, this game is an exhilarating spectacle for pundits paying close attention to Group B. Apart from Spain’s defeat to Scotland in the qualifying rounds, ‘La Roja’ had dominated their campaign with seven victories.
Capello’s thoughts on the center-back duo
Leading up to the match, former Juventus midfielder and manager Fabio Capello, renowned for his coaching of Roma’s Scudetto in 2001, shared his thoughts.
“The Bastoni-Calafiori partnership, with its solid defensive capabilities, could be a formidable force,” Capello suggested. “However, they might face challenges in one-on-one situations with rapid strikers, as fast as bullets. The next challenge is Alvaro Morata, who made a strong debut by scoring against Croatia,”
Capello’s concerns about the speed of Alessandro Bastoni and Riccardo Calafiori in a defensive duo might be valid. However, Giovanni Di Lorenzo and Federico Dimarco…
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Author : Ardalan Pourvali
Publish date : 2024-06-20 14:05:20
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