Without inspiration or tone, the Squadra Azzurra was logically knocked out by the Swiss selection (2-0), this Saturday, June 29, in Berlin.
On paper, in light of history, records or respective demographic reservoirs, Italy is supposed to be the favourite when it meets Switzerland on the pitch. But given the trajectory of the two teams since the start of the Euro in Germany, the debates were announced to be, at best, more indecisive than usual. The changeover was in fact complete, this Saturday, June 29 in Berlin, where the “Nati” logically disposed of the Italian team, the defending champion, in the round of 16 by a score of 2-0.
The Swiss selection imposed its confidence from the first half on an Italian team without much inspiration and with a defense as soft as a burrata. Solid behind and projecting more quickly than the Squadra Azzura, the Swiss selection quickly proved dangerous. Gianluigi Donnarrumma had to make world-class saves more than once to keep his team afloat: a catwalk on a point-blank strike from Breel Embolo (24th), a ball deflected off the post from a vicious free kick by Fabian Rieder (45th).
However, he was unable to do anything when Remo Freuler, receiving a cross from Ruben Vargas, had time to control with his right foot and take the left into the open area to shoot him at the near post (37th) . 1-0 to the lemons at the end of an undivided domination: 10 strikes on the Swiss side, 0 for Italy.
True to their reputation for punctuality, the Swiss did not wait to drive the point home. As soon as they returned from the locker room, a magnificent curling shot from Ruben Vargas, not pressed for a penny by the Italian defense, came to clean the left corner of Donnarumma (46th). We didn’t see how the Azzurri could recover from this second blow. As a symbol of Italian impotence, the light almost came… from a Swiss player, when Schär almost scored against his side, from a defensive header that came to die on Yann Sommer’s post when there was, however, no danger (51st). Then not much, the Nati effectively locking its penalty area. The Swiss will meet the winner of England-Slovakia in the quarterfinals.
