Italy national team coach Luciano Spalletti admitted that the difference “was very big” with the Spanish national team during the latter’s 1-0 win in the second group of the 2024 European Cup.
Spain not only ensured its qualification to the second round through its victory, but also secured the top spot in the group after raising its score to six points compared to three for Italy, which will have to avoid losing to Croatia on Monday in order to reserve a place for it in the knockout rounds, as the latter and Albania have an orphan point. .
Despite winning with a single goal, which came from an own goal by Ricardo Calafiore in the 55th minute, the “La Roja” team, which won the continental title three times in a record number equal to that of Germany, was completely dominant in the match.
Spain avenged its loss to Italy in the last two editions, 0-2 in the 2016 final, then via penalty kicks in the semi-finals of the last edition, which was held in the summer of 2021. But Spain beat Italy 4-0 in the final of the 2012 edition after they tied 1-1. In the group stage. They also met in the 2008 quarter-finals, when Spain won on penalties.
In 41 confrontations between the two sides, Spain won 14 times, compared to 11 wins for Italy.
Spalletti, who appeared sad while speaking to the media, said, “The difference was very big. We were very tired and they caused us a lot of problems.”
He added, “We could not overcome them because we were not a team capable of playing with any kind of smoothness.”
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