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Tag: Italy

  • Impossible to describe what I am feeling – Italy goalkeeper

    Impossible to describe what I am feeling – Italy goalkeeper

    Italy goalkeeper Gianluigi Donnarumma was emotional after his penalty shootout heroics against Spain.

    Donnarumma saved Alvaro Morata’s penalty to send Spain into the final of Euro 2020.

    “There was everything at that moment, it wasn’t easy, but with the strength of this group, we managed to get there,” new PSG signing Donnarumma told Sky Italia.

    “It’s impossible to describe what I am feeling, I want to enjoy this win my teammates and we dedicate the win to Spinazzola, he had sent us a video before the game.”

    But how had he studied Spain’s penalty kick takers?

    “We look at everything with the goalkeeper coaches, and then there is a bit of instinct too, I looked at everything during the game and the moment before the penalty. Sirigu spoke to me before the shootout, but I can’t say what he told me, he is a top guy and a great person.”

    “It’s indescribable. I was relaxed, because I knew I could help the team,” he added in another interview with RAI Sport.

    “The team was fantastic, I thank everyone, the people in the stands, we gave our all and now we need one final step to make our dream come true.

    “Spain are very strong, but this Italy has a huge heart, we never give up and we saw that, because we suffered to the end and we snatched it, but Spain deserve a lot of credit for causing us so many problems.”

  • Jorginho secures Italy’s spot in Euro 2020 final

    Jorginho secures Italy’s spot in Euro 2020 final

    Italy beat Spain on penalties to reach the Euro 2020 final after an enthralling semi-final at a noisy Wembley.

    After Alvaro Morata’s penalty was saved, Jorginho strolled up to score and set up a final with either England or Denmark in London on Sunday.

    Federico Chiesa looked as if he had sent Italy – who are unbeaten in 33 games – to the final in normal time with a delightful curled finish to cap off a quick counter.

    But Morata stepped off the bench to slot an equaliser with 10 minutes to go after a one-two with Dani Olmo.

    But the Juventus forward’s penalty miss in the shootout proved costly as Spain lost a semi-final for the first time in their history.

    Fears about an empty or quiet crowd proved unfounded despite tickets still being on sale during the day, and with fans unable to fly from either country without quarantining for too long to watch the game.

  • Italy clash with Spain will be battle until the end – Bonucci

    Italy clash with Spain will be battle until the end – Bonucci

    Juventus defender Leonardo Bonucci says Italy will be ready for Spain in their Euro 2020 semifinal.

    Italy face Spain on the back of victory over Belgium.

    “We knew Belgium’s quality, especially in attack and the danger they posed to us on the counter,” Bonucci told RAI Sport.

    “We went 2-0 up and were dominating the game, then they got back into it with a dubious penalty, we did really well to hold on and showed once again how important the heart of this Italy side and of the Italians is.

    “Now we can keep dreaming with our feet on the ground. Spain are a great team, but we started this tournament with a dream in our hearts, let’s keep it there until the end,” continued Bonucci.

    “There are two matches to go, the most difficult will be against Spain, who play similar to Belgium. They again looked as if they might not make it, but they got back on their feet, so it’ll be a battle to the end.”

  • Italy beat Belgium, qualify for Euro 2020 semi- final

    Italy beat Belgium, qualify for Euro 2020 semi- final

    Italy set up a Euro 2020 semi-final clash against Spain after first half goals from Nicolo Barella and Lorenzo Insigne led the Azzurri to a 2-1 win over Belgium on Friday in an entertaining encounter in which both sides created a number of chances.

    Italy — who will face the Spaniards on Tuesday in London — opened the scoring in the 31st minute when Barella picked up the ball, forced his way past defenders in the area and fired home.

    Insigne doubled the lead in the 44th minute after collecting the ball on the left and skipping beyond a defender before unleashing a long-range shot that flew past Thibaut Courtois.

    Romelu Lukaku clawed a goal back for Belgium from the penalty spot just before the break after Giovanni Di Lorenzo put an arm on Jeremy Doku and pushed him to the ground.

    Spain squeezed past Switzerland 3-1 in a penalty shootout to reach the last four after their battling opponents clung to a 1-1 draw after extra time despite going down to 10 men.

  • Euro 2020: Belgium take on Italy, Swiss tackle Spain in Euro quarters

    Euro 2020: Belgium take on Italy, Swiss tackle Spain in Euro quarters

    Top-ranked Belgium take on fellow form side Italy later on Friday as the first Euro 2020 quarter-finals take place.

    Both teams with 100 per cent records so far at the tournament will meet in Munich, with Belgium having major injury doubts surrounding creative midfielders Eden Hazard and Kevin De Bruyne.

    The first quarter-final in St Petersburg pits Switzerland, the conquerors of world champions France, against free-scoring Spain.

    The Spanish started the tournament slowly with two draws but then thumped Slovakia 5-0 and Croatia 5-3 after extra-time in the last 16.

  • Euro 2020: Portugal out as Belgium set up quarter final tie with Italy

    Euro 2020: Portugal out as Belgium set up quarter final tie with Italy

    A moment of class from Thorgan Hazard proved enough to knock out holders Portugal as Belgium continued their pursuit of a first major title by reaching the quarter-finals of Euro 2020.

    The Borussia Dortmund winger’s swerving drive from 25 yards arrived late in a cagey first-half and carried Roberto Martinez’s side into a mouth-watering meeting with Italy on Friday.

    Portugal – who again only introduced Manchester United’s Bruno Fernandes from the bench – will look back on key Diogo Jota chances, a Ruben Dias header that was saved and a late Raphael Guerreiro drive that struck the post.

    Kevin De Bruyne’s fitness may dominate headlines in the build-up to the Italy showdown in Munich after he limped off moments after half-time, and Belgium also lost Eden Hazard to a complaint late on.

    The world’s highest-ranked side may have key holes to fill but again they have showed they possess the grit to complement their undoubted quality.

  • Euro 2020: Italy send Austria out in extra time as Denmark thrash Wales

    Euro 2020: Italy send Austria out in extra time as Denmark thrash Wales

    Italy needed extra time to see off battling Austria at Wembley and set up a Euro 2020 quarter-final against Belgium or Portugal.

    Austria marked their first appearance in the knockout stage of the European Championship with a tireless performance to give their much-fancied opponents a scare.

    Marko Arnautovic had a headed goal disallowed after a VAR check for offside in normal time when the game was goalless before goals from substitutes Federico Chiesa and Matteo Pessina sent Italy through.

    Wales were eliminated in the second round of Euro 2020 as they were thrashed by Denmark, whose inspiring journey at the tournament continues to the quarter-finals.

    Backed by a fervent and almost exclusively Danish crowd, Kasper Hjulmand’s side led as Kasper Dolberg curled in a fine 27th-minute strike from the edge of the penalty area.

    Dolberg struck again in the 48th minute as he seized on a defensive error from Wales substitute Neco Williams to smash in from close range.

    That goal deflated Wales, who never looked like clawing their way back into the game as Joakim Maehle added a late third for the jubilant Danes.

    Substitute Harry Wilson was then shown a straight red card for a late foul on Maehle before Martin Braithwaite struck a fourth goal in added time as Wales’ campaign ended miserably.

  • Euro 2020: Italy yet to be tested – De Ligt

    Euro 2020: Italy yet to be tested – De Ligt

    Juventus’ Holland defender Matthijs de Ligt insists Italy are yet to prove themselves at the Euros.

    The Azzurri are into the round of 16, but De Ligt says they’re yet to be tested.

    “I’ve watched Italy, they play really well,” said De Ligt.

    “They don’t even seem Italians. They attack, they press high up the pitch and that’s nice to see.

    “However, just like us, they didn’t play against top teams like Germany, Portugal or France. That’s the next step for them and us.”

  • Euro 2020: Wales into last 16 despite defeat to Italy

    Euro 2020: Wales into last 16 despite defeat to Italy

    Italy made eight changes to their side but they were still too strong for Wales as they defeated the Welsh 1-0 in the final Group A encounter.

    Italy had already qualified for the last 16 and despite the narrow scoreline had little trouble in retaining their 100% record in the Group and their 8th win over Wales in 10 games.

    Wales battled in the first half to keep themselves in the game as they struggled with the long Italian diagonal ball played to either far post.

    Chances came and went for the Italians in that opening period with Belotti, Emerson, Chiesa and Pessina all going close and it was the latter who broke the deadlock on 39 minutes.

    A clever free kick by Verratti was sent in low for Pessina to meet the ball with a neat flick across keeper Ward and into the far corner. The same player almost repeated the feat a couple of minutes later but just failed to make contact.

    For Wales the nearest they came was header narrowly over by Gunter from a corner.

    Nothing changed after the break and Bernardeschi immediately hit the post from a free kick. Then came a Wales chance. Ramsey was through on keeper Donnarumma but from a tight angle he lost the ball and the chance was gone.

    It then got worse for Wales as they were reduced to ten men on 55 minutes as Ampadu was shown red for stamping on the ankle of Bernardeschi.

    Ward saved from Belotti after a quick Italian break used their one man advantage to the full. But it was Wales who should have levelled but the unmarked Bale fired a volley over from 10 yards.

    Italy comfortably played out time and really should have scored more but credit the battling Wales rearguard with preventing this and who also qualify for the last 16 despite this defeat.

  • We can win Euro 2020 – Italy coach

    We can win Euro 2020 – Italy coach

    Italy boss Roberto Mancini believes his side can go on to win Euro 2020.

    The Azzurri have followed up their opening game win over Turkey with a 3-0 success over Switzerland in Rome, booking their place in the Round of 16.

    The Italians have now gone ten straight games without conceding a goal, while their frontline looked in fine form against the Swiss.

    Mancini said, per Sky Sports: “In the European Championship there’s France, Portugal and Belgium – one of those are world champions, another are European champions and the other are the number one ranked side in the world.

    “These are teams who have been built over a number of years and it’s only natural they are further along than us but everything can happen in football, you shouldn’t take anything for granted.

    “Every match is difficult, you always have to go out there and play. I’ve been fortunate in that I have had some very good players who like playing the game, they enjoy being out there and like taking risks.

    “The players are the ones who deserve the credit. I try to explain my thought process and there is still a long way to go.”