The national team won the final of the European Championships by beating Spain 5-3 on penalties after 120 minutes of pain
Paolo Brusorio
SENT TO LONDON
Like at the European Championships thirteen years ago. Only this time the scream of Italy reaches the sky. We beat Spain on penalties, the result says 5-3, but only partially translates the suffering becomes ecstasy when Jorginho, Mancini’s loyalist, puts the shot that takes us to the final Sunday night at Wembley against the England winner- Denmark. A feat and it is right to call it that, the path of atonement after the worldwide failure has now come to an end regardless of how this magnificent adventure turns out. Roberto Mancini jumps under the curve (“But it’s not over yet”), Vialli follows him: how far these two friends have come and how much has this team that seems to never end, hasn’t lost in 33 games and that in the night he suffered more difficult, rowing against the current in front of a Spain that has the future in hand, but as for the present it has to queue.
The hole with the mint around it. Remember that old advertisement the deployment of Luis Enrique: the hole with Spain around. Given the little Lukaku has done against the Azzurri, the coach decides to leave Morata on the bench and replace him with the trademark, the false nueve so as not to give Chiellini and Bonucci points of reference. As we have become accustomed to, Italy starts slowly, but this time it does not choose, it is obliged. La Roja does what she does best, manage the ball. The blues drift, the difficulties of Jorginho and Verratti are those of the whole team. Mancini asks to shorten the distances between the departments, in fact Spain dominates far and above all wide. Pedri sends postcards, but those who receive them don’t always know what to do with them.
Spain’s first shot after 15 minutes and 78% possession; second pitch and here it takes all of Donnarumma’s skill to foil Olmo’s right. If Chiesa turns like a top without a construct, at least on the left wing Emerson Palmieri and Insigne sting the Spanish defense. The problem remains in the middle of the field where the two directors have lost the script: Pedri sticks to Jorginho like a wet shirt and Verratti more than spaces finds a median like Busquets. We close with a single shot on goal in 45 ‘and it’s not bad either, crossbar chipped by Emerson.
First time of suffering but basically without too much trouble and even the recovery begins in the same way. Busquets misses from the line, and it is here that Italy takes the lead. Spain is unbalanced, Chiesa, up to now in difficulty, from a thousandth rebound to a right-footed shot that Unai Simon sees only when he is on the net. Wembley explodes, Luis Enrique inserts a center forward, Morata, and Mancini removes him, outside the Immobile and inside Berardi with Insigne who puts himself in the central space. The blue goal is more than a firecracker, Spain seems stunned, but the Olmo-Morata combination affects our defense. Minute 81, nine from the final. Equality signed Juventus. Out Insigne, inside Belotti: we have to start over.
Italy seems more tired and extra time is the best possible goal. Spain does not give up playing, but is more “dirty” than before. Logical. A couple of frightening scrums in the Donnarumma area, the Roja that dominates us and even now takes away what little air we have left. The second supplement is a long, narrow corridor leading to glory. Locatelli and Olmo miss the first penalty, Belotti, Bonucci and Bernardeschi are infallible, Morata is not. The signature is by Jorginho, one for all, all for Italy. –
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