After the big scare, a hint of a smile, almost with the fear that it will widen too much and give a glimpse of optimism. After the network of Modric in the match with the Croatiain Leipzig, the fans of our national team were there wondering: “TheItaly can it still be fished out among the four best third-placed teams?”. Then came the goal of Zaccagni in the last minute of injury time, which gave the Azzurri the certainty of the round of 16 of Euro 2024, where they will meet, on Saturday 29 June at 18:00, in Berlin, the Swiss. And then again, twenty-one hours later, France’s failure to win against Poland, already eliminated, tangibly changed the prospects.
Italy avoids France, Germany, Portugal and Spain
That 1-1, marked by the signature penalties of Mbappé And Lewandowski and from the exceptional day of Lucasz Skorupskigoalkeeper of Bologna, relegated the national team coached by Deschamps in second place in Group D – surprisingly won by Austria, who beat the Netherlands 3-2 – and, above all, moved them to the top of the round of 16 draw, already occupied by Germany, who will face Denmark, from Portugal and Spain. Four of the five favorites for the final victory of the tournament that Italy will now only be able to meet in the final, if they ever get there.
Possible quarter-final between the Azzurri and England
In the lower part of the board theEngland, very strong on paper but disappointing so far, as confirmed by the 0-0 draw with Slovenia. In the round of 16 Bellingham and his teammates will face the third place in group D (the Netherlands) or the third place in the very balanced group E, i.e. Romania, Belgium, Slovakia or Ukraine. If they went through, they would play against the winner of Switzerland-Italy in the quarter-finals: therefore, a rematch of the Euro 2020 final is on the horizon. Even the theoretical Italian semi-final would not be the worst possible: the other quarter-final will come out of the matches of the round of 16 between Austria and, probably, Turkey Montella and between the first of Group E (possibly Belgium) and the Netherlands or Slovenia.
Zaccagni, who is the player who saved Italy at Euro2024
For the national team a theoretical semi-final with Austria or Belgium
We all know that Italy has not enchanted so far at Euro 2024 and that Switzerland will already be an obstacle that is not at all easy. But theAustria – which, moreover, has played really well up to now – and Belgium, which has complicated its life as usual, are sweet memories of the direct elimination path that led Mancini’s national team to play in the final three years ago at Wembley. Strong national teams, as well as the Netherlands, but certainly not at the level of the four up there, which Italy observes pleasantly from afar.
