Changes to Italy’s starting 11 were expected with Calafiori’s suspension. In this sense, Mancini’s starting role in the hinge of a defence that had been reduced to 4 was logical. Spalletti, on the other hand, innovated by starting El Shaarawy, a first in this tournament.
The 31-year-old winger was also playing his first minutes at the Euro and he had not started a meeting with the Squadra Azzura since October 17 during the defeat in England (3-1). It wasn’t the coach’s only surprise. Faced with Di Marco’s injury, the technician placed Jorginho on the bench to trust Fagioli.
It didn’t work, any more than the 4-3-3 favoured over the 3-4-3 used against Croatia. It’s not claimed that a 3-man defence would have solved all the problems Italy had, given how much they suffered against the Vatreni, but it was worse against the Swiss. The Fagioli-Cristante-Barella trio quickly took on water in midfield and they couldn’t contain the infiltrations of Yakin’s men. And Spalletti took off El Shaarawy at half-time.
The action of the match: fabulous collective action
His return to the club, in Bologna, risks being turbulent. No matter, Freuler became the hero of the match, by improving on a service from Vargas, at the end of a sequence of 31 passes (37th). The Swiss could have opened the score much earlier but Donnarumma won his one-on-one with Embolo (24th).
The Italian goalkeeper then pushed the deadlock back and kept his country in the game until the break, notably by deflecting a free-kick from Rieder onto his post.
The number: 27
Italy had conceded the quickest goal in Euro history against Albania after 23 seconds. On Saturday, they conceded arguably the quickest goal after the break. 27 seconds after returning from the dressing room, Donnarumma turned after a superb, fine strike from Vargas into his top corner.
La frayeur de Schär
The eighth own goal of the tournament almost fell. On a harmless cross from Fagioli, Schär missed his intervention with his head by directing the ball towards his goal when he was absolutely alone (51st). Beaten, Sommer was saved by his post. The last rampart was able to count on the help of its amount a second time on an attempt by Scamacca (75th).
The title holder’s curse
Like Portugal in 2020 against Belgium and Spain in 2016, the defending champion was eliminated in the round of 16, even though they won the World Cup in this same stadium 18 years ago. Will Spalletti resist this disappointment, even though he arrived 11 months ago? For Switzerland, the adventure continues as in the previous edition, when they eliminated France at this stage of the competition. This time, they will try to reach the semi-finals against the winner of England-Slovakia.
Top : Freuler (8/10): His constant infiltrations did Italy a lot of harm. It was thanks to one of his projections that he was able to open the score.
Flop : El Shaarawy (3/10): He had to wait eight years and seven days to wear an Italy jersey again in a major tournament and he may not do so again. Right from the start, he lost control (6th) and he was unable to exist in the game to the point where his coach took him off at half-time.
Suisse : Summer ; Schär, Akanji, Rodriguez ; Aebischer, Freuler, Xhaka, Rieder (72nd Zuber) ; Vargas (71st Stergiou), Ndoye (77th Sierro), Embolo (77th Duah)
Italy : Donnarumma ; Di Lorenzo, Mancini, Bastoni, Darmian (75e Cambiaso); Fagiolo, Cristante (75e Pellegrini), Barella (64e Retegui); Church, El Shaarawy (46e Zaccagni), Scamacca
Referee: M.Marciniak
Warnings: Barella, El Shaarawy, Mancini
The goals : 37e Freuler (1-0), 46e Vargas (2-0)
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