While Mancini’s Italy have entertained us with some of the best football in the tournament by dazzling in midfield and keeping it tight at the back, England have prided their performance on being defensively solid.
Case for Italy
The job Roberto Mancini has done has been well documented and he deserves huge credit. Rebuilding the Italian Squad was a daunting task but to further change the style of play is no mean feat.
What will concern Italians is how tactically inept he looked when Spain totally outplayed them in the semi finals. However, credit to him for keeping his side in the game and they emerged victorious. But to win the final he will know that he has to get his tactics spot on.
It would be a beautiful fairytale for Mancini to win considering where the Italian team was when he took over. They have been the best team in the tournament and based on performances, they deserve to win it.
One last fight for Chiellini and Bonucci, a symbol of probably the last strongmen and loyalists of die hard defending. After the tears of 2018, they deserve to celebrate. But football is played on the pitch so how does Italy win the Euros?
How can Italy Beat England?
The task for Italy is to breach the best defense in the tournament. England have barely shown any weaknesses in defense so the Italians will know they will have to be at their creative best to win this one.
We have seen versions of Italy throughout the tournament and they are more than ready to adapt. The group phase showed a classy Italian side which played what they call Tiki Italia; beautiful attacking football that tore their opponents to shreds.
During the knockout stage the Italians showed they have what it takes to dig deep and get the job done. The goal against Spain is a good example of how quick the Italians can transition from defense to attack. Their technically gifted midfielders give them so much dynamism that they can play on the counter or keep the ball.
More importantly, Italy have shown so much character and the willingness to suffer in games. The last 20 minutes against Belgium showed the maturity and leadership when they closed the game out so early in a way only the Italians can.
The Italian dynamism makes them a really difficult team to play against and why they can beat England in whichever way the game pans out.
Questions for Italy
Who starts up front?
Ciro Immobile has shown worrying signs. He has been really poor since the knockout stage began and will need to be at his best on Sunday. His work rate is important to this Italian team but in a final you need moments of quality to win you games.
Belotti is an old fashioned number nine who can come in when you’re trailing or closing a game out to give the English centre backs a different challenge to Immobile.
Who Plays Left Back?
Spinazzola’s absence is a big miss and Emerson did little against Spain to suggest he could fill this big shoes. Di Lorenzo is an option which could see Toloi on the right but that Left side is one England could capitalize on.
Federico Chiesa will be the man to watch going forward. The Juve man has pace, power, technique and an eye for goal. He has it all.
verdict: ENGLAND 1-2 ITALY
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