By Anna Italia
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What a great day!   It’s Monday 27 June 2016 and the good news is that Italy defeated Spain in the UEFA EURO Round of 16.  Italy 2 – 0 Spain.  Yep.  Against all odds, Italy were not considered favorites to win this game.  Actually, many considered Spain the favorite.  Yet, Italy Head Coach Antonio Conte prepared the team so well that he proved them wrong.    Italy win convincingly killing the bull.  And no more “Ole” for Spain but “VIVA” for Italy.  Italy qualifying for the UEFA EURO Quarterfinals and will play against Germany on Sat, 02 Jul 2016. Nouveau Stade de Bordeaux, Bordeaux, France.  Bottom line, Italy avenged the 2012 defeat and we are rocking.

Here are the declarations of Antonio Conte after the match:  “I knew that it would end like that, these boys are extraordinary, they have something special inside them.  We showed that Italian football is not just Catenaccio and that an idea can beat talent.   The best compliment was when Xavi said that Italy remind him 50 per cent of Atletico Madrid and 50 per cent of Barcelona.”

Definitely, happiness surrounding the Italian Coach, players, and fans.    As for the next match against Germany, Conte added, “We’ll enjoy this win now and we’ll recover ahead of the Germany game because it will take a titanic effort against them. The coach has to be the first to believe you can do something because that transmits to the players. I did believe. I am happy above all for them and for Italian football. I hope that the players are proud of us now.”

Against Germany, Conte will be without Thiago Motta who is suspended after picking up a yellow card and he will hope Daniele De Rossi is back fit after coming off with a knock. “We’ll see if he can recover, but whatever happens we’ll find a solution like we did today with Candreva missing.”

Photo:   figc.it

Italy Head Coach Antonio Conte during the game against Spain

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Italy’s results in this UEFA EURO 2016:

• 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, Round of 16, Italy 2 – 0 Spain, Monday 27 June 2016

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After the win over Spain in Saint-Denis, the Italy team arrived back in Montpellier on a specially chartered flight at around midnight and were welcomed at the team hotel by about 300 supporters who applauded the team and directed various celebratory chants towards coach Antonio Conte and his players.

They had earned the right to relax for a few hours and they were out at 11:30 at the Bernard Gasset sports centre to start preparing for the quarter-final against Germany that will take place on the 2nd July in Bordeaux. After a brief talk from Conte, the players were split into groups as the media watched on for the first 15 minutes of training. There was light work and laps of the pitch for those who were involved yesterday whilst the other Azzurri did fitness exercises and the usual warm-up. Sirigu and Marchetti worked with the goalkeeping coach whereas Gigi Buffon had a gym session.

Antonio Candreva and Daniele De Rossi did not take part in training and instead underwent tests and assessments in order to evaluate their respective injuries. The next updates on the condition of Italy’s injured players will be issued tomorrow.

Italy’s Euro 2016 schedule

Wednesday 29th June
11:00 – Training (first 15 minutes open to the media)
14:45 – Press conference at ‘Casa Azzurri’

Photo:  figc.it

The photo shows President Tavecchio with Chantal Borgonovo at the Stade de France in Saint-Denis 
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It was a great celebration in Saint-Denis as Italy beat the reigning European champions Spain 2-0 to pick up a deserved victory four years after the final in Kiev. Antonio Conte’s side is a united and brave one and they played good football to put La Furia Roja on the ropes with fluid movement leading to numerous chances. The opposition were left with very little to work with for the opening 70 minutes and they only posed much of a threat at the end. Chiellini opened the scoring before Pellé finished it off in stoppage time after the Azzurri could have found a second earlier in the contest.

Against Spain, Conte moved back to a 3-5-2 formation with Barzagli, Bonucci and Chiellini in front of Buffon. De Rossi lined up as a playmaker with Parolo and Giaccherini by his side in midfield. On the right Florenzi took Candreva’s place while De Sciglio was on the left. Up front, Eder was paired with Pellè as each looked for their second goals at the tournament. Del Bosque also sprung no surprises. Morata was in at centre-forward, supported by Nolito and David Silva in a 4-3-3 with the benefit of a quality midfield containing Iniesta, Fabregas and Busquets. There were twelve players starting who had played in the 2012 final with seven from Spain’s ranks although the two midfielders Xavi and Xabi Alonso were around no more. However, they now had a true striker for the penalty box in Morata.

There were many Italian fans and they made themselves heard while the Stade de France was under a deluge of rain which only lasted for 15 minutes. The Azzurri started strong and found space down the flanks where De Sciglio and especially Florenzi making it clear that Italy weren’t just there to defend. The first big chance came in the eighth minute as Pellé got his head to a Florenzi cross but De Gea was there to save. The Manchester United goalkeeper made another stop three minutes from a Giaccherini bicycle kick after the referee Cakir had already stopped the play. Iniesta attempted to add some shine to Spain’s play but they remained somewhat confused and Morata looked isolated up front. Italy were playing better and there were two chances to double the lead in the 25th and 28th minutes from a Parolo header and a misplaced clearance from Sergio Ramos which didn’t take De Gea by surprise. The goal came in the 33rd minute. A free kick from Eder just outside the box was saved by the Spain goalkeeper but the rebound fell favourably for Chiellini and he was there to take advantage of the tap-in. It was a goal worth its weight in goal and the seventh for the Juventus defender in international football. Del Bosque’s side attempted to respond but Italy still looked dangerous and Giaccherini almost made it 2-0 at the end of the half with a shot heading for the top corner until De Gea made an excellent save.

The seven shots for Italy and two for Spain in the first half were evidence of the superiority of Conte’s side and they prompted Del Bosque to add more to the attack with Aduriz replacing Nolito at the break and Morata moved out to the left. It was the Azzurri again who had a chance to double the advantage in the 55th minute with Eder was played in by Pellé only for De Gea to save again. Cries of “Italia, Italia” rose from the stands while Pellé and Eder were constant thorns in the side of the Spanish defence.

Buffon was called into action in the 70th minute by an Aduriz strike. Del Bosque then removed an exhausted Morata and counted on a fresh Lucas Vazquez. The Real Madrid winger hit the post after the whistle had been blown. Buffon then made important saves from Iniesta and Pique. Aduriz picked up an injury and the substitute was himself replaced by Pedro while Conte brought Insigne on for Eder and Darmian for Florenzi. Buffon was there again in the 90th minute to deny Pique from extremely close range as he celebrated his 160th international appearance in style. Then, on the counterattack, Pellé go onto a ball from Darmian and he made it 2-0. The Azzurri are now flying to the final on Saturday 2nd June in Bordeaux where they will place the World Cup holders Germany. Another celebration doesn’t just seem like a utopian dream.