Euro-2024: Switzerland teaches Italy a lesson and joins the quarters

Switzerland easily dominated an Italian title holder lacking inspiration and talent (2-0), Saturday in Berlin in the round of 16 of Euro-2024, and ideally prepared for a possible duel against England.

“We sent a strong message,” said Switzerland coach Murat Yakin after the match, who savored “the manner.” Indeed, it is a new level that the “Nati” has just reached, three decades after its last victory against Italy, three years after eliminating the French team at the same stage of Euro-2021. But then, the Swiss had to go through a penalty shootout, after taking advantage of a gap on the Blues’ side.

This time, while some will not fail to point out the weakness of this Italy, Yakin’s men gave a football lesson and knocked on the door of the favorites – Spain, Germany, England, France. Switzerland is clearly in the process of rebalancing the old rivalry with Italy. It had already played a bad trick on the “Nazionale” by sending it to the play-offs for the 2022 World Cup – which will be fatal for it.

A sign that something has changed, it was Switzerland who authoritatively took charge of the game from the start. Italy had a hard time bringing out the balls, its technical assets being limited mainly to Nicolo Barella and Federico Chiesa.

Stifled by the technical and tactical control of the Reds, the “Azzurri” were able to take a breath after a quarter of an hour, with a first incursion into the Swiss area – a meager and harmless result. Five minutes later, a long ball recovery by Stephan El-Shaarawi, who gave a free kick subtly struck by Barella, narrowly missing the decisive pass to Di Lorenzo, were among the only thrills felt by the Italian fans.

Sovereign in midfield, the Swiss first sinned in the final third. Finally alone after going on the edge of offside on a swaying pass from Michel Aebischer, Breel Embolo lost his duel against Gianluigui Donnarumma (23).

Bad dream
The Swiss had to wait another quarter of an hour to validate their domination with Remo Freuler’s opening score. The Bologna player had criticized the Italians for their absence at the 2022 World Cup before the match and he did not let up on the pitch, starting a sprint towards the area to stand out and offer an obvious passing solution to Ruben Vargas. Before taking the ball and deceiving Donnarumma at the near post (37th). Switzerland displayed its superiority during this sequence of possession lasting almost a minute and thirty seconds, punctuated by 33 passes. Just before the break, Donnarumma also had to be vigilant to push back to his post an eccentric and distant free kick taken hard by Fabian Rieder (45+1).

On the Italian bench, Gianluigi Buffon shook his head, doubtless hoping to chase away this bad dream and find that of the 2006 World Cup final, won against France in the same Olympic Stadium in Berlin.

Upon returning from the locker room, the Swiss knocked them out straight away with Vargas. Served by Michel Aebischer inside the area, not stuck enough by the Italian defense, he was able to calmly adjust Donnarumma and hit the opposite corner (46th).

Italy can be blamed for one play in particular. At the start of the last quarter of an hour, Cristante made a superb lobbed pass and Mattia Zaccagni had the very good idea, with his back to goal, to deflect it to Gianluigi Scamacca… who hit the post. Winner of the Europa League with Atalanta Bergamo, he was definitely not confident with the national team.

Curtain! The second half mainly showed the Swiss calm, who do not panic to bring the balls out and have the technical level to do so. The Bologna triumvirate Aebischer-Freuler-Ndoye was in full swing, regulated by captain Granit Xhaka.

“We lacked intensity,” stressed Italy coach Luciano Spalletti, saying he would bring “more physical quality” to the next competition – as he said he hoped to continue in his position.

At the final whistle, the Swiss supporters exploded with joy and the Italian radio commentators shouted.