The European Championship is over for the defending champions: Italy lost 0-2 (0-1) to Switzerland in the round of 16 on Saturday (June 29, 2024). The player of the match was a Swiss player from the Bundesliga.
Ruben Vargas, who is under contract with the small FC Augsburg, had a great game. He first assisted Remo Freuler’s opening goal (37′). Then he scored himself with a great curler (46′). In doing so, he made the difference in the first round of 16 of the European Championship in Germany.
To the live ticker: Switzerland vs Italy Arrow right Round of 16 Arrow right
Bad for Italy – Spalleti’s plan does not work
It was also his fault that Italy’s coach Luciano Spalletti’s plan didn’t work out. Spalletti had thought of something for the game against Switzerland. He changed the system and played in a 4-3-3. And he changed his personnel: Spalletti made six changes to the starting eleven.
But Italy couldn’t get into the game, not in the first half and not in the second. At halftime, Italy had won fewer tackles (47 percent), had the ball less often than their opponents (43 percent). And they only had one chance, when Federico Chiesa moved into the penalty area from the left and left opponent Fabian Schär standing. Chiesa then shot with his right foot. That would have been dangerous, but defender Manuel Akanji blocked.
Otherwise, there was hardly anything to see from Italy’s offensive. That was due to the lack of depth in the game, inaccurate passes, and the lack of ideas. But it was also due to the Swiss. They played well, were the braver, the better team. When they had the ball, the Swiss closed the spaces cleverly, and when they had the ball they had good ideas.
Like in the 24th minute: Vargas played to Breel Embolo, who appeared free in front of Gianluigi Donnarumma. Switzerland should have taken the lead in this scene. But the lead did not come: Embolo tried a curler into the far corner, but his aim was not precise enough. Donnarumma parried.
Freuler does better than Embolo – lead for Switzerland
Freuler did better, scoring in the 37th minute to give Switzerland a deserved lead. Ndoye played to Vargas on the left and then ran behind, tying up an opponent. But Vargas didn’t play to Ndoye, he played flat into the sixteen-yard box.
Freuler had run there. With his first touch of the ball he controlled the ball, with his second he hit the near corner from six or seven meters. Goalkeeper Donnarumma got his foot on it, but couldn’t prevent the goal.
The Swiss almost scored a second goal in injury time. Fabian Rieder took a free kick from the left side and took it straight to the near corner. Donnarumma deflected Rieder’s shot with his fingertips onto the post, from where it rolled out of play.
The Italians should not have forgotten Vargas
The second half had just begun when the Swiss celebrated for the second time that evening. After a failed free kick by the Italians, Switzerland countered. In the end, Michel Aebischer indicated a pass, but played a different one. That’s how the ball came to Vargas. Italy’s defenders had forgotten about him. They should not have done that: Vargas curled the ball with his right foot right into the top corner.
First the right post, then the left – Italy unlucky
Six minutes later, Switzerland were lucky when Schär went for a header following a cross from Nicolò Fagioli to clear the danger. But he was the one who made the scene dangerous in the first place: Schär’s header failed and slipped over his head. The ball ended up at the right post of the Swiss goal.
Later, in the 74th minute, the ball landed on the post of the Swiss goal again, this time it was the left one. Mattia Zaccagni crossed to Gianluca Scamacca, who was perhaps five or six meters away from the goal. But Scamacca didn’t hit the net, he only hit the post. It looked like offside, but the referee Szymon Marciniak didn’t blow his whistle.
Those were Italy’s best chances. For Spalletti’s team, the tournament is over. It is the earliest European Championship exit since the 2004 finals – back then, Italy had already been eliminated in the preliminary round.
In the quarter-finals, Switzerland will face England or Slovakia
The Swiss will get at least a fifth game. In the quarterfinals they will face the winner of the round of 16 between England and Slovakia next Saturday (July 6, 2024) in Düsseldorf.
