Spain midfielder Sergio Busquets said on Friday that his team must be realistic rather than being optimistic or pessimistic regarding the upcoming match against Italy in the round of 16 of Euro 2016.
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Spain also have to raise morale after an unwelcome 2-1 defeat to Croatia robbed them of top spot in Group D and a potentially easier path to the final.
“It’s a very disappointing decision and I think very negative for many people”, Fabregas said while on global duty with Spain at Euro 2016.
What I like about Croatia is that they play as a unit, and you can tell that by the partnerships they have all over the pitch. What should I say? A team full of so many superstars, they lack an out and out striker like they previously had in Miroslav Klose, now having to settle for Mario Gomez or midfielder Mario Götze. “They have what it takes to win a tournament”, he said at a press conference.
Vicente del Bosque remained in charge to oversee a new era, but it has very much been a evolution rather than evolution.
Andrea Barzagli, part of a defence that kept successive clean sheets in the first two games of the group stage, spoke of his sympathy for his injured team-mate.
“The players are doing everything they have to”.
As for the left flank, Matteo Darmian is the hot favourite to start, ahead of Mattia De Sciglio and the more attack-minded Stephan El Shaarawy.
The Italians were very impressive in their first group game against Belgium showing that they can bridge a gap in class with expert tactics and a defensive masterclass and will have to do the same against Spain.
Italy and Spain are two of the strongest teams in the competition but only one team will prevail to the quarter final of the competition. Against the Czechs we were the better team, against Turkey we were the better team, and against Croatia we were too until after the penalty.
England have played well in this tournament so far, but they simply haven’t taken their opportunities.
The two-time defending champions face a terrible draw if they are to make it back to Paris on July 10th for the Euro 2016 final.
They still lack the creativity upfront and again have to heavily rely on that Juventus back four (Buffon, Chiellini, Bonucci, Barzargli). “We know that and we’re sure we can learn from it”.
Italy will be ruing the tough draw as they face an uphill battle to progress. The Red Devils finished runners-up at the 1980 European Championship, but with a formidable core based around Eden Hazard, Romelu Lukaku, Kevin De Bruyne and Thibaut Courtois, Marc Wilmots’ side boast more than enough talent to go one step further in France.
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“But I only have words of gratitude to those who have not played”. In the European Championship they have only won one knockout game, against Spain on penalties in 1996.
