BERLIN (Germany) – The adventure of the National team ends in the worst possible way to Euro2024. Italy, perhaps the worst in history in a major international event, slow and sluggish, literally handed itself over to Switzerland right from the start of the match. The Swiss selection, which unlocked the lead with Bologna midfielder Remo Freuler in the 37th minute and doubled the lead just thirty seconds after returning to the pitch from the locker room with Vargas, he only complains about the two posts being hit: the first with Schar, who risks a sensational own goal, and the second with Scamacca. Coach Yakin’s men will face each other in the quarter-finals against the winner of the other round of 16 between England and Slovakia of Calzona.
Euro2024, the draw of the direct elimination phase
The chronicle of the match
Auf Wiedersehen Reigning champions. The farewell arrives at the Olympiastadion, where a completely different Italy climbed to the roof of the world, painting the sky of Berlin blue. This time, however, the stadium of the German capital is the theater of the farewell to one of the ugliest national teams of recent times, even worse than the one that against the Swiss did not go beyond two draws that barred their way to Qatar2022. Switzerland wins 2-0, deservedly, without ever fearing that they cannot do it, precisely because Italy never gives the impression of being there. Who knows, too many changes probably do no good, the (Swiss) team identity evidently pays off. Yes, because Spalletti changes again: 4-2-3-1 in the first two games, 3-5-2 in the third, 4-3-3 in the round of 16. Mancini makes his debut alongside Bastoni and takes the place of the suspended Calafiori, while Darmian covers the left and not Dimarco, who is not in top condition. There is another debut from the first minute and that is El Shaarawy, an offensive left winger, but who can cover the entire flank when needed. On the other side there is Chiesa who, unlike the Pharaoh, only takes care of the offensive phase to give a strong hand to Scamacca. Two new additions also in midfield with Cristante and Fagioli in the starting 11 and to create a new median triangle with Barella. Jorginho, Frattesi and Pellegrini are out. On the other side Yakin chooses 3-4-2-1 and focuses on the ‘Italians’ Sommer, Rodriguez, Aebischer, Freuler and Ndoye. The Turk guesses right, Luciano from Certaldo doesn’t. The game says it and says it right away. Switzerland is the master of the pitch and of the ball possession, Spalletti on the eve of the match asked for a loose Italy with personality, he finds them soft and timid, so much so that they transform the Swiss into “red furies”. The holes in defence begin to be counted right away, on the centre-right there are chasms: Di Lorenzo and Mancini are at the mercy of their opponents, Xhaka and Freuler understand this and insist there. Cristante is also there, but if he was supposed to provide solidity the plan has failed. Fagioli tries to reason, he is the only one who does it, but without inventing who knows what. Nati’s dominance is not demonstrated by the occasions: few, and here is the difference with Spain who instead always went to the goal. In the 24th minute, however, Mancini disappears and Donnarumma is miraculous on Embolo. The Azzurri response is in a serpentine by Chiesa, but Sommer can continue to snooze. The Azzurri captain, however, capitulates in the 37th minute: another hole, Bastoni out of position, Fagioli doesn’t close on Freuler who scores a well-deserved 1-0 with his left foot. And if we go to halftime down by just one goal it’s because the post helps Donnarumma on Rieder’s free kick. A first half to forget, there’s still the second half, on paper we can hope. Spalletti brings on Zaccagni for El Shaarawy, but after 30 seconds the doubling arrives with a nice curling right foot shot by Vargas: 2-0, fair enough. There’s an own post by Schar on Fagioli’s cross with Sommer wrong-footed and immobile. It could be the fuse… no way, no fire is lit. Retegui comes in for Barella for a desperate 4-2-4 that produces a shot (the first for the Azzurri) from the Italian-Argentine in the 28th minute and, a minute later, Scamacca hits the post 4-5 meters from the goal and in a suspicious offside position on Zaccagni’s assist. It ends 2-0, Switzerland deservedly in the quarter-finals, European Champions rightly, and badly, go home.
