Presented as slight favorites before their round of 16 against Italy, the Swiss made short work of the defending champion (2-0) on Saturday in Berlin, logically dominating a completely controlled match from start to finish. Overwhelmed and without imagination, the Squadra azzura, which at no time seemed capable of reacting, returned home prematurely.
Published on: 06/29/2024 – 7:53 p.m.
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Switzerland left no chance for Italy, who were logically beaten (2-0) on Saturday June 29 in Berlin, during the first round of 16 of Euro 2024.
Still undefeated in this Euro, the Swiss selection led by Murat Yakin continues to impress. After a disappointing first round, with only one victory against Albania (2-1), the title holder had nevertheless displayed its ambitions from the start, on paper, by aligning an attacking trio composed of Federico Chiesa, Gianluca Scamacca and Stephan El Shaarawy, the former Monaco player starting for the first time since the start of the competition.
But it is the Nati which takes the initiative from the start of the game and settles into the Italian camp. Cornered in defense, Nicolo Barella’s teammates struggle to recover the ball.
After a first quarter of an hour largely dominated by the Swiss, the debates balanced out a little with a nice Italian incursion into the Swiss camp of the Squadra Azzura, who even obtained the first corner of the match in the 16th minute.
However, we had to wait until the 24th minute to see the first big chance of the match with a miraculous save from Gianluigi Donnarumma against Breel Embolo who was launched straight into the middle and on the edge of offside and came to challenge him one on one.
Italy responded two minutes later with a slalom from Federico Chiesa, in the Swiss area, concluding with a right-footed shot blocked by Manuel Akanji.
Not enough to impress the Nati who regained possession of the ball and control of the match. And it is logical that Remo Freuler, ideally served in the area from the left wing by Ruben Vargas, opened the scoring in the 37th by deceiving Gianluigi Donnarumma on his right with his left foot. The goal of the tireless central midfielder from Bologna, in Serie A, rewards the very clear Swiss domination.
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Stung, the Italians, deprived of one of the revelations of the Euro, central defender Riccardo Calafior, suspended due to an accumulation of yellow cards, are trying to react.
Visibly tense and too messy technically, they are unable to project themselves towards the opposing goal or serve their scorer Gianluca Scammacca, who is completely invisible.
Worse, it is the Swiss who are very close to widening the gap in stoppage time in the first period, on a free kick from Fabian Rieder, diverted at the last minute on his left post by Gianluigi Donnarumma.
Announced as slight favorites before the game, the Helvetians return to the locker room virtually (and logically) qualified for the quarters.
Vargas cooled the National
In the second half, Luciano Spalletti changed his plans and brought on Mattia Zaccagni, the hero of the match against Croatia, in place of Stephan El Shaarawy. The newcomer only had time to take a few strides before the Nati doubled the lead in the 46th minute thanks to a magnificent curling shot from Ruber Vargas, on the left, which lobbed Gianluigi Donnarumma and ended up in the far corner.
Stunned, the defending champion wavers and seems resigned. In the 52nd, it was a Swiss defender Fabian Schär who almost got the Italians back on track by sending a poorly cleared ball with his head onto Yann Sommer’s left post.
The Swiss goalkeeper who was watching his teammates calmly manage their lead did not see the ball again until the 68th minute, following an incursion from Federico Chiesa on the left, whose shot was deflected for a corner.
In the 74th minute, the ghostly Gianluca Scammacca distinguished himself for the first time by taking a ball with the tip of his foot after a deflection in the area by Mattia Zaccagni, but the ball crashed against the right post of Yann Sommer, who seemed beaten. The Atalanta Bergamo striker tried his luck again in the 76th minute, but his shot flew well above the Swiss goal.
The changes made by Luciano Spaletti did not change the situation, and Switzerland, who had also reshuffled their eleven, once again showed themselves to be threatening in the 84th minute. Solid from start to finish of the match, never in danger, the Swiss managed the last minutes while already thinking about the quarter-finals, and let their joy burst forth at the final whistle.
Still marked by its non-qualification for the 2022 World Cup, Italy has not managed to chase away its doubts or to excel in the hope of going further in the competition. A competition that the Nati will return to on July 6, against England or Slovakia.
