Current holders Spain will take on a heavily balanced Italian side in the final of EURO 2012 at Olympic stadium in Kiev tonight. Co-incidently both the side belong to the same group in the tournament, in their previous group C clash ended in a stalemate of 1-1 apart from that neither side have lost a single match in the tournament so far but it will be the Italians who enter the showpiece in better form.
Spain have reached into this stage
looking to become the first back-to-back winners of the European championship
and the first side to win three straight majors (won Euro 2008 and the 2010
World Cup) and is on a major roll, winning 32 of its last 35 competitive games.But
Italy proved it deserves to be here, ending Germany’s 15-game winning streak on
two first-half Mario Balotelli goals in the semifinals. There would be a neat
symmetry to the achievement if Vicente del Bosque's men were to leave Kyiv's
Olympic Stadium having become the first team to retain the Henri Delaunay Cup.Cesare Prandelli’s side were excellent in their quarter-final win over England – which was only decided on penalties because of their poor finishing – and they backed it up with a superb 2-1 victory against an in-form Germany.
Manchester City forward Mario Balotelli scored a well-taken brace in the win over the Germans, while Andrea Pirlo’s outstanding form in this tournament continued as the veteran put in another marvellous performance in the centre of midfield.
Pirlo’s skill on the ball has perhaps been the highlight of the championships with his passing, movement and eye for a through-ball all pivotal to Italy’s success in Poland and Ukraine.
Spanish defender Sergio Ramos is well-aware of Pirlo’s talent and knows that he needs to be stopped if they are to triumph.“They are very quick and dangerous on the break and Pirlo is unique,” Ramos said.
“With a single pass he can open you up
and leave a man one on one. Pirlo is their reference point. He dominates the
game and controls the match. He’s the player that makes the difference.”Spain enter the final on the back of a penalty shootout success against Portugal, which came after the two sides played out a stalemate in 120 minutes.Spain and Italy met each other earlier in the group stages of the tournament, with Cesc Fabregas’ equaliser earning the former a 1-1 draw in an exciting match in Gdansk.
Prandelli opted for a 3-5-2 formation against the Spaniards and it paid dividends as Vicente Del Bosque’s side were crowded in midfield and struggled to move the ball forward with their usual crispness.
The match was also notable for Del Bosque’s refusal to play a recognised striker from the start, with Fabregas playing in an unusual ‘false nine’ role, while they also started with the same set-up in a 2-0 quarter-final win against France.
While Torres and Fabregas have
scored two goals each, the bulk of Spain’s good play in the attacking third has
come from midfielders Andres Iniesta and David Silva and the pair will need to
be at their best again to cause Italy problems.Barcelona midfielder Xavi will
play a similar role to Pirlo, setting up attacks and acting as the pivot in
midfield, and the battle between the pair will be crucial.The Spanish defence has been resolute all tournament, conceding just once – which was against Italy – while Prandelli’s side have shipped just three goals in five matches.
The match is unlikely to be a shootout and just the one goal might be enough to claim victory.
Spain are attempting to create history, with no country ever having won the European Championship twice in a row. For Italy, they are looking to win the title for the first time since 1968, where they have won by toss against the former USSR in the final.
With the amount of quality on the
pitch and so much on the line, Sunday’s final is sure to be a special occasion.
Key battles:Ramos v Balotelli
With Carles Puyol ruled out by injury, Ramos has cemented his place as Gerard Pique's partner at the heart of Spain's defence. His replica of Andre Pirlo's penalty in the semi-final shootout win over Portugal demonstrated his confidence. Balotelli appears to be maturing before our very eyes at Euro 2012. His form and attitude were questioned in Italy's first two games but he has been almost unplayable since scoring as a substitute against Republic of Ireland.
Xavi
v Pirlo
A mouthwatering showdown between two of the best passers ever to grace the game. Xavi's status as an all-time great has already been assured but he has yet to hit the heights in Poland and Ukraine and will be desperate to do so on Sunday. Pirlo has been peerless for Italy and almost has the Player of the Tournament award wrapped up ahead of the final.
Iniesta v Balzaretti
If Spain decide not to play a striker, their midfield will have to fill the void and no-one is more capable of doing so than Iniesta, whose goal settled the 2010 World Cup. The 28-year-old also likes to drift out wide, where he will doubtless come up against Balzaretti. The Juventus defender has excelled going forward at both left-back and right-back at Euro 2012.
Head-to-head recordA mouthwatering showdown between two of the best passers ever to grace the game. Xavi's status as an all-time great has already been assured but he has yet to hit the heights in Poland and Ukraine and will be desperate to do so on Sunday. Pirlo has been peerless for Italy and almost has the Player of the Tournament award wrapped up ahead of the final.
Iniesta v Balzaretti
If Spain decide not to play a striker, their midfield will have to fill the void and no-one is more capable of doing so than Iniesta, whose goal settled the 2010 World Cup. The 28-year-old also likes to drift out wide, where he will doubtless come up against Balzaretti. The Juventus defender has excelled going forward at both left-back and right-back at Euro 2012.
Spain's record in 30 games against Italy is W8 D12 L10, but seven of those victories have come in friendly games.
EURO pedigree
Spain
Winners: 1964, 1968
Runners-up: 1984
Italy
Winners: 1968
Runners-up: 2000
Semi-finalists: 1988
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