Some said Italy ran the risk of peaking too early.
Indeed, it was Roberto Mancini’s side who caught the eye with the dismantling of Turkey on opening night of Euro 2020.
Now into the semi-finals with another exhilarating display, this time against the number one ranked team in the world, Belgium, they are dismantling the myth that teams who start tournaments on fire eventually burn out.
Billed as two of the best teams left in the tournament, Belgium and Italy put on a show to underline this status.
While the first half in particular was an end-to-end affair, which sometimes points to a lack of structure, this was simply two sides enacting their game plan at the highest possible pace, at the highest possible level.
High press key to Italian success
Italy’s high press has been sharp in almost every game they have played at Euro 2020 and that was certainly the case against the Red Devils, with the likes of Nicolo Barella, Federico Chiesa and Marco Verratti (who made four tackles) denying Belgium any chance to play out from the back.
It was this harassment that led to Barella’s opening goal after Verratti (who also made three key passes) won the ball by stepping up the pitch.
Roberto Martinez’s instructions from the sidelines for his side to push higher up the pitch themselves were heard, but Belgium simply didn’t do this with the same intensity. At their best, the Red Devils forced Italy to go sideways for one extra pass. At their worst, they were passive.
In Youri Tielemens and Axel Witsel, Belgium boast a midfield platform capable of controlling games through their use of the ball. But pitted against an Italian midfield unit intent on surging forward at every opportunity, the Belgian pair were athletically exposed. They couldn’t keep up with the runners, with even Jorginho making three interceptions.
Kevin de Bruyne’s inclusion in the Belgium line-up came as a surprise given the Manchester City man’s recent injury struggles. This gave the Red Devils some much-needed guile, but the level of energy expended simply playing at Italy’s pace clearly took a toll. De Bruyne wasn’t able to truly impose himself even if he did still manage three key passes.
Even still, his inherent understanding with Romelu Lukaku was nearly enough to get Belgium back in the game, with the latter somehow missing from only a few yards out having been picked out by De Bruyne at the back post. That connection gives Belgium a chance in every game they play, even when they are second best like they were here.
Jeremy Doku can be pleased with the way he played. While the Rennes attacker looked ragged early on, he was the only Belgium player who grew as the game progressed.
By the final 10 minutes, Doku was their biggest threat, registering an incredible eight dribbles over 90 minutes having won a penalty kick with his direct running in the first half. Had his final ball been better, Italy might have been in trouble.
This, however, was a result and a performance that announced Italy as tournament favourites. Mancini has built a side that is more than the sum of its parts, which is saying something considering the quality of their individuals.
Spinazzola a huge loss
The injury suffered by Leonardo Spinazzola, one of the players of the tournament to date, late in the match tainted things somewhat, but Italy are still the team to beat.
If an opposition team could play through Italy’s high press, they might stand a chance of exposing the ageing central defensive pairing of Leonardo Bonucci and Giorgio Chiellini.
Giovanni Di Lorenzo and Spinazzola are sent so far forward that Italy quite often leave just two at the back.
The problem is Italy’s press out of possession is so high and so intense that it will take an opponent as comfortable in their own movement to find a way around, and there doesn’t appear to be a side that fits that bill at Euro 2020. Semi-final opponents Spain will be the next to attempt it on Tuesday night at Wembley.
👏 What a game that was.#ITA are into the semi-finals of the Euros for the SIXTH time - they will face #ESP at Wembley#BEL's campaign comes to an end at this stage again #BELITA
— Sporting Life Football & Infogol (@InfogolApp) July 2, 2021
Belgium, whose game plan is based on getting Lukaku spun in behind as often as possible, stood as good a chance as anyone, and they came up short.
Italy play with a level of footballing choreography that is rarely seen in the international game, where coaches don’t have as much time to get their ideas across.
Mancini hasn’t always received the credit he has deserved over the course of his career, but he hasn’t had a team like this one before. A team that has now extended its unbeaten run to 32 matches.
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