That’s quite a blow to the head. After its miraculous draw against Croatia in the group stage of the Euro which qualified it for the knockout phase, Italy was pitifully eliminated in the round of 16 against Switzerland (2-0) without ever existing. A bland and apathetic performance which did not fail to provoke a reaction on the other side of the Alps a few hours later.
Visibly very disappointed and angry, the iconic Sky commentator, Fabio Caressa, was very harsh towards the Squadra Azzurra: “I have been commentating on the Nazionale for eighteen years and I have never seen a match like this. Not even in 2010 or 2014. We never had the feeling of being able to come back.” Same story from The Republic who speaks of a “horrible match” and supports his words: “The Olympiastadion was the scene of the farewell of one of the ugliest national teams of recent times.”
For its part, the Gazzetta dello Sport pointed out a “deserved elimination under the boos”, of an “Italy that lost face”. She then tried to analyze the match as best she could: “An embarrassing first half, closed by ten shots to one in favor of our opponents. A second half started in the worst possible way by a team without personality and incapable of reacting.”
The Sports Courier does not go easy either by attacking a team “without legs and without soul”, which was “passive and extinguished from the beginning to the end of the match”. “It is difficult to remember such a capitulation of the national team in a knockout match”, the daily newspaper decides.
Gianluigi Donnarumma, the only one spared
Having made several decisive saves on his line, the PSG goalkeeper received some praise from the Italian press, who spoke of a “miracle” when referring to one of his saves in front of Breel Embolo before half-time (37th).
The 25-year-old goalkeeper also apologized to the fans on Sky after the match: “It’s a huge disappointment. We never got into the game. It’s difficult to talk, you have to say sorry and accept it. Well done to Switzerland. Everything was lacking. The desire to help our teammates, the desire to fight. Conceding a second goal at the start of the second half is unacceptable.” The night promises to be complicated for the Italians.
