By Anna Italia
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Italy 2 – 0 Spain

33′ Giorgio Chiellini
91′ Graziano Pellé

 

The big clash, Italy facing Spain in the UEFA EURO 2016 Round of 16.    A thriller match in this “Mediterranean Derby”  won by Italy on Monday 27 June 2016 at the Stade de France in Saint Denis, France.  The goals by Giorgio Chiellini and Graziano Pellé.  Italy qualifying to the EURO 2016 Quarterfinals and will face Germany on Saturday 2 July in Bordeaux.

Join us to support Italy in the virtual stadium of social media, the fair play has already started using the hashtag #MediterraneanDerby initiative organized in collaboration with Twitter.

• Italy – Spain meet in repeat of UEFA EURO 2012 final
• Italy  looking to avenge the 4-0 showpiece defeat in Kyiv four years ago
• Stats:  Sides have won 10 and drawn 14 of 34 previous meetings

Here is ITALY official starting lineup by Head Coach Antonio Conte:

ITALY (3-5-2): Buffon; Barzagli, Bonucci, Chiellini; Florenzi, Parolo, De Rossi, Giaccherini, De Sciglio; Pellè, Éder.

Here is SPAIN official starting lineup by Head Coach Vicente Del Bosque:

SPAIN (4-3-3): de Gea; Juanfran, Sergio Ramos, Piqué, Jordi Alba; Fàbregas, Busquets, Iniesta; David Silva, Morata, Nolito.

 

Players already on the pitch and I am so nervous… so proud of the Azzurri!  Good to see Sergio Ramos greeting Buffon on their way to the pitch.   Forza Italia.   Come on Italy.   National anthems playing starting with Spain and then with Italy’s Inno di Mameli.    Italian players singing so proudly “Fratelli d’Italia…… L’Italia s’e desta… .”  My heart is pounding… joining the Azzurri singing loudly too!

Italy starting pressing …  Forward Citadin Eder in the 6th minute sending a clear signal that he is battling for Italy….  Eder seeing his right footed shot blocked… so close to score… Spain goalkeeper denying it.   The assist here is by Mattia De Sciglio.

 

Oh my gosh!!!!   Italy with another chance to score!  In the 8th minute, it is forward Graziano Pellè to challenge Spain goalkeeper De Gea with a headed shot though saved in the  bottom right corner.    The assist is by midfielder Alessandro Florenzi.

Pelle cannot believe his luck!!!!

 

 

Referee Cüneyt Çakır giving a yellow card to midfielder Marco Parolo in the 23rd minute after a foul on Juanfran.

Leonardo Bonucci and Alvaro Morata

Italy Head Coach Antonio Conte shouting instructions to the players to come forward

 

Here we goooooooooooooo yes, yes, yes, yesssssssss  In the 33rd minute the goal by Italy defender Giorgio Chiellini defeating Spain goalkeeper de Gea with a left footed shot in the bottom right corner.  The assist is by Emanuele Giaccherini.   Immediate celebration with Chiellini running to celebrate towards the fans and closeup of coach Antonio Conte totally happy !!!!   The action started with the attempt by Eder to score but de Gea saved… on the rebound,  the ball still in the area and there is when Chiellini as a gladiator seeing his golden moment for the final smacking giving the lead to Italy.   You bet I am jumpingggg celebrating tooooooooooooo wohoooooooo

Yes, yes, yes, we did it!!!!!!  Italy opening the score and we are battling!!!!

Photo:  facebook.com/NazionaleCalcio

 

Spain forward Nolito gets a yellow card in the 40th minute after a foul on Italy midfielder Daniele De Rossi.

Italy continue pressing and in the 44th minute.  Emanuele Giaccherini attempts a right footed shot though saved with one hand by de Gea stretching in the top center.   The assist is by forward Graziano Pellè.

Second half starting…..

Spain making the first substitution in the 45th minute replacing Nolito to bring forward Aritz Aduriz.

In the 46th minute, Italy pushing and this time is Mattia De Sciglio with a right footed shot  though finally blocked.   The assist is  by Éder.

In the 48th minute, a handball by Giorgio Chiellini….

Spain attacking and in the 49th minute, the ex-Juventus player forward Alvaro Morata challenging his ex-teammate goalkeeper Gigi Buffon with a headed shot though right in the arms Buffon saying NOT PASSING….

Italy making the first substitution in the 52 minute.  Midfielder Thiago Motta replacing midfielder Daniele De Rossi.

In the 54th minute, Referee giving a yellow card to Graziano Pellè after a foul on Cesc Fàbregas.

Oh my gosh..  there it is the pass by Pelle and what a fast run by Citadin Eder in the 55th minute  delivering a right footed shot and so close to score though goalkeeper de Gea saved!!!!   It was a one on one.

Super Buffon!   In the 60th minute saving another shot… Alvaro Morata keep insisting and deliver a long range right footed shot and again Buffon saving!

In the 62nd minute, Giaccherini insisting and his right footed shot goes straight to the arms of goalkeeper De Gea.

Oh my goshhhhh I am just almost fainting….  Spain so close to score in the 70th minute… lucky they miss the target.  It is Aduriz to deliver a  left footed shot and misses to the left. The assist is by Cesc Fàbregas.

Spain making a substitution in the 70th minute.  Alvaro Morata is out and Vazquez in.

Helloooooo Spain increasing pressure….   in the 76th minute,  Iniesta challenging Buffon with  a left footed shot but SUPER BUFFON an iron wall to protect Italy, saving in the top right cornerrrrrrrr   Grande Buffon!!!!!!!

Spain making their last substitution in the 80th minute.    Pedro In and Aduriz leaving for injury.

In the 81st minute, Italy substituting forward Citadin Eder to bring forward Lorenzo Insigne

Oh gosh, in the 82nd minute, immediate reaction by Insigne, fresh with energy attempts a right footed shot and De Gea pushing it away…    we are just 8 minutes away to qualify, come on ITALIAAAAA

In the 88th minute, Referee giving a yellow card to midfielder Thiago Motta.

Super Buffonnnnnn 89th minute with Pique from close range challenging Buffon, but SUPER BUFFON SAVEEEEEEEEEEDDDDD

90th minute, GOALLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLL   ITAAAALIIAAAAAAAAAA   It’s forward Graziano Pellé to seal the match with a right footed shot and put Italy in the Quarterfinal!!!!!

Yep, there he goes, Graziano Pellé with determination feeling the support of the fans to smack that final right footed shot to scoreeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee and it’s time to shout it again GOOOALLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLL

 

Just love it to see Pelle celebrating, way to go!!!!!!

 

Hellooooo what are you doing!!!!  In the 94th minute David Silva stepping on Giorgio Chiellini!!!   Referee giving Silva a well deserved yellow card.

Buffon celebrating at the end of the match

 

 

Italy – Spain Head-to-head

• Italy  – Spain, this is the fourth time meeting in the last three European Championships, and the sixth overall.
• The last time Italy defeated Spain in a competitive win was a 2-1 victory in the quarter-finals of the 1994 World Cup.
• After losing to Italy in 1994, Spain have lost just one of 11 games against Italy including friendlies.  Stats showing Spain winning four matches and drawing six (two penalty shoot-outs counted as draws).

Photo: facebook.com/NazionaleCalcio/

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Spain Tickets
Ticket option for Italy National team games

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• EURO 2016, Matchday 1,  Belgium 0 – 2 Italy, Monday 13 June 2016
• EURO 2016, Matchday 2, Italy 1 – 0 Sweden, Friday 17 June 2016
• EURO 2016, Matchday 3, Italy 0 – 1 Republic of Ireland, Wednesday 22 June 2016

EURO 2016: Italy 23-man Squad

Goalkeepers: 1 Gianluigi Buffon (Juventus), 13 Federico Marchetti (Lazio), 12 Salvatore Sirigu (Paris Saint Germain);
Defenders: 15 Andrea Barzagli (Juventus), 19 Leonardo Bonucci (Juventus), 3 Giorgio Chiellini (Juventus), 5 Angelo Obinze Ogbonna (West Ham);
Wingers: 21 Federico Bernardeschi (Fiorentina), 6 Antonio Candreva (Lazio), 4 Matteo Darmian (Manchester United), 2 Mattia De Sciglio (Milan), 22 Stephan El Shaarawy (Roma);
Midfielders: 16 Daniele De Rossi (Roma), 8 Alessandro Florenzi (Roma), 23 Emanuele Giaccherini (Bologna),10 Thiago Motta (Paris Saint Germain), 18 Marco Parolo (Lazio), 14 Stefano Sturaro (Juventus);
Forwards: 17 Citadin Martins Eder (Inter), 11 Ciro Immobile (Torino), 20 Lorenzo Insigne (Napoli), 9 Graziano Pellè (Southampton), 7 Simone Zaza (Juventus).
*Players on stand-by: Marco Benassi (Torino), Alex Meret (Udinese), Daniele Rugani (Juventus) and Davide Zappacosta (Torino)

 

EURO 2016: Spain 23-man Squad

Goalkeepers: Iker Casillas (Porto), David De Gea (Manchester United), Sergio Rico (Sevilla)

Defenders: Sergio Ramos (Real Madrid), Gerard Pique (Barcelona), Dani Carvajal (Real Madrid), Jordi Alba (Barcelona), Marc Bartra (Barcelona), Cesar Azpilicueta (Chelsea), Mikel San Jose (Athletic Bilbao), Juanfran (Atletico Madrid).

Midfielders: Bruno (Villarreal), Sergio Busquets (Barcelona), Koke (Atletico Madrid), Thiago (Bayern Munich), Andres Iniesta (Barcelona), David Silva (Man City), Pedro (Chelsea), Cesc Fabregas (Chelsea)

Forwards: Aritz Aduriz (Athletic Bilbao), Nolito (Celta Vigo), Alvaro Morata (Juventus), Lucas Vasquez (Real Madrid)

Italy’s anthem….. L’Inno di Mameli

Photo:   facebook.com/anna.italia.96

Anna Italia supporting the Italian National Team

 

Photo: http://vivoazzurro.it

 

Photos of the match Italy vs Spain courtesy by facebook.com/NazionaleCalcio

 

 

A view from above…. the goal by Graziano Pelle defeating goalkeeper De Gea

 

Italy Head Coach with a gesture as saying, yes you did it guys.

 

Italian players celebrating running towards Italy fan section

 

 

 

UEFA EURO 2016 Round of 16

Italy 2 – 0 Spain
Monday 27 June 2016
Stade de France
Saint Denis, France

Referee Cüneyt Çakır (TUR)
Assistant Referees: Bahattin Duran (TUR) and Tarik Ongun (TUR)
Additional assistant referee: Hüseyin Göçek (TUR) and Barış Şimşek (TUR)
Fourth official: Martin Atkinson (ENG)

Goals: 33′ Giorgio Chiellini (I), 91′ Graziano Pellé (I)

Official lineups – formations:

ITALY (3-5-2): Buffon; Barzagli, Bonucci, Chiellini; Florenzi, Parolo, De Rossi, Giaccherini, De Sciglio; Pellè, Éder.

Subs: Sirigu, Marchetti, Darmian, Ogbonna, Thiago Motta, Sturaro, Bernardeschi, El Shaarawy, Zaza, Immobile, Insigne.

Coach:  Antonio Conte.

SPAIN (4-3-3): de Gea; Juanfran, Sergio Ramos, Piqué, Jordi Alba; Fàbregas, Busquets, Iniesta; David Silva, Morata, Nolito.

Subs: Casillas, Rico, Azpilicueta, Bartra, Bellerín, San José, Koke, Alcántara, Soriano, Vázquez, Pedro, Aduriz.

Coach:  Vicente del Bosque.