And here we are, ready for the appointment with history. Do you perhaps know another way to define tonight's Spain-Italy? We don't, on the other hand the numbers speak for themselves. We have been waiting for this moment for 44 years, to be precise since 10 June 1968, when Ferruccio Valcareggi's national team gave us the roof of Europe. Since then two more World Cups have arrived, but our continent has remained taboo. Sometimes due to bad luck (impossible to forget Trezeguet's golden goal in 2000), sometimes due to our faults, but the European Championship has never really been our friend.
Even the only victory (that of 1968) has some shadows: we played at home, the formula was much simpler (only us, Yugoslavia, the USSR and England were present) and, due to the lack of overtime and penalties by the regulation, we had to play the final twice. In short, our glorious football history lacks a modern European, won after beating the best of Europe. What better occasion than this, in which we played on an equal footing with Spain, beat England and Germany, but above all convinced with the game.
There remains one last major obstacle, to be precise the biggest. Because Del Bosque's Spain is undoubtedly the best team in the world, and winning would write an unprecedented page of history. In fact, no one has ever been able to conquer consecutively European, World and European again; curious that to try to spoil the party will be Italy which, just 15 days ago, also passed the group (if not mostly) thanks to the honesty of Spain. “They are the best team in the world, the one to beat” Cesare Prandelli sighed in the press conference, but even in the face of such strength our spirit will not change.
“We will have to create numerical superiority, and when the opponents allow us, we will play. It is the winning way, even in perspective. We will have to be proactive, close the spaces, recover the ball and always stay focused. Our midfield has quality, then Pirlo enhances the department, so we try to put him in a position to express himself at his best". The message is clear: we respect the Roja, but we don't fear it. The same thought also from Captain Buffon, who dreams of raising the prestigious trophy to the sky: “Kiev like Berlin? Emotions and trust are those. To know if it will be the same, you have to have the patience to wait. But the analogies are many…”.
In short, there is a lot of trust, and it couldn't be otherwise. Tonight an entire country will gather around the Azzurri, capable of uniting the highest institutions of the state (Premier Mario Monti will be present in Kiev and President Giorgio Napolitano will receive the national team on Monday, however it ends) and the people. soccer magic, the only true trait d'union of a country that too often forgets the merits of being Italian. Also for this the Azzurri deserve a thank you regardless. But now bring us the Cup, the whole of Italy is waiting to honor you and celebrate with you.
POSSIBLE FORMATIONS
Spain (4-3-3): Casillas; Arbeloa, Sergio Ramos, Pique, Jordi Alba; Busquets, Xabi Alonso, Xavi; Silva, Fabregas, Iniesta.
Available: Valdes, Reina, Albiol, Javi Martinez, Juanfran, Cazorla, Jesus Navas, Negredo, Pedro, Torres, Mata, Llorente.
Disqualified: nobody.
Technical Commissioner: Vicente Del Bosque.
Italy (4-3-1-2): Buffon; Abate, Bonucci, Barzagli, Chiellini; De Rossi, Pirlo, Marchisio; Montolivo; Cassano, Balotelli.
Available: Sirigu, De Sanctis, Ogbonna, Balzaretti, Maggio, Thiago Motta, Jackets, Diamonds, Nocerino, Giovinco, Borini, Di Natale.
Disqualified: nobody.
Technical Scrutineer: Cesare Prandelli.
Referee: Pedro Proenca (POR).
Line Assistants: Bertino Miranda (POR) – Ricardo Santos (POR).
Port Assistants: Manuel De Sousa (POR) – Duarte Gomes (POR).
Fourth official: Cuneyt Çakir (TUR).
