The codazo of Tassotti to Luis Enrique in the World-wide of 1994, the goleada in the European final of 2012… Are many the moments that has left us for the posterity the Latin duel between Spain and Italy, that will repeat on 20 June in the phase of groups of the Eurocopa 2014. They are two historical that have the competitiveness in his DNA and that will see the faces at first in the frame of the group B, where will be accompanied by other two countries like Croatia and Albania.
So much for the Spanish group like the Italian, as they aim the last quotas for the Eurocopa, the classification for the eliminatory of eighth gives by done. Even so, it hangs him the poster of big favourite to The Red, head of series and with a full list of new faces little consolidated in the elite. Instead, it expects a more argued battle between transalpinos and Croats to occupy the second square of the group and happen of round without depending on other results to be of the best third.
To continuation, will review the precedents between The Red and the Azzurri.
Register highly equalised
Spain and Italy have confronted along the history, between friendly and official parties, a total of 40 times. The balance is slightly favourable to the Hispanics, with 13 defeats by 11 transalpinas, but there is maximum equality, as it shows the fact that in 16 occasions have finished in tie. This idea reinforces throwing a glimpse to the goals: the blue have marked a total of 46, whereas the red, 45. In Germany, will live an edition more than this healthy battle.
If it puts the focus in the Eurocopa, to many comes them the memory of the victory been bulky of the combined of Vicente of the Forest by 4-0 in 2012. But recently the returns have changed and, in Franca 2016, went the ones of Antonio Conte those who deleted to the Spanish group in eighth of final. The same sucedió in the last edition, in 2021, playing the pass to the final of Wembley, when a fateful batch of penaltis left to the team of Luis Enrique very near of a title that would finish winning the ones of Roberto Mancini.
The precedents in European tournaments do not finish here, as in 2008 were the ones of Luís Aragonese those who sacked to the selection azzurra of Austria and Switzerland, showing his candidature to the title. In other three occasions saw the faces in the phases of groups, like sucederá in this occasion, and the results harvested are two ties and a victory for the Italians. In case to repeat any one of the two, the pass to eliminatory would put highly complicated.
Current photography of both
To the Eurocopa 2024, the two selections attend in distinct moments of his history. Italy, after the disappointment that supposed not going to the Glass of the World 2022, wants to claim like current defender of the European title. It does it with a new seleccionador, Luciano Spalletti, and a staff renewed and without old known. Verratti, Immobile, Bonucci or Chiellini are was. Now the reins are in hands of players like Alessandro Bastoni, Nicolò Barella or Federico Chiesa.
Spain, saving the distances, has not suffered a so deep crisis like the neighbours of the Mediterranean. Also it debuts the trainer, with Luis de la Fuente at the front, and a new willing generation to make history, as it does three lustros. The focuses aim to destined footballers to mark a period and that they will be those that will direct the course of The Red by Germany. As already it has gone seeing in previous parties, the weight recaerá in the backs of Rodri Hernández, Lamine Yamal or Nico Williams.
Thursday 20 June to the 21 hours in the Sand Aufschalke, in Gelsenkirchen. That is the moment in which it will start the second party for both in the Eurocopa, that does not leave to be a page more in the long history of both selections. We will see who is in better state of form and if the prognoses hit and offer a show to the height of the T-shirts. Two very different styles, both resolutivos and accustomed to win, that see again the faces by 41ª time.