The defending champions can still progress to the last 16, but they do not look like potential winners in Gelsenkirchen.
Italy are the reigning European champions – but for how much longer? The Blues were given a lesson by Spain at the Veltins-Arena, and although their Group B match in Gelsenkirchen only ended 1-0 due to a Riccardo Calafiori own goal, the class gap between the two teams was huge.
Indeed, if it weren’t for Gianluigi Donnarumma who put in his best performance like at Euro 2020, Italy would definitely have been eliminated. They didn’t offer anything in attack until the last ten minutes, their midfield overwhelmed and their wing-backs harassed by Spanish wingers Lamine Yamal and, in particular, Nico Williams.
GOAL rate the Italian players at the Veltins-Arena today Azzurri suffered a defeat which means they must avoid defeat against Croatia to book their ticket to the last 16 of Euro 2024…
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