Chiellini was ‘200% sure’ about bringing down Saka in EURO 2020 final | OneFootball

Giorgio Chiellini has spoken in-depth in English about his challenge on England star Bukayo Saka during the EURO 2020 final at Wembley, explaining that he was ‘200% sure’ he was not going to be sent off for bringing the Arsenal talent down on the break.

Chiellini’s pull on Saka’s shirt is still one of the most memorable moments of Italy’s victory in the EURO 2020 final. The tug sparked outrage in the UK at the time, and remains one of the most talked about incidents of the final.

Italy players celebrate after Bukayo Saka (C) of England failed to score from this penalty during the UEFA EURO 2020 final between Italy and England in London, Britain, 11 July 2021. Italy won the game in penalty shoot-out. EPA-EFE/John Sibley

Chiellini recently appeared as a guest on The Overlap on Tour alongside Sky Sports pundits Gary Neville, Jamie Carragher, Roy Keane and Ian Wright, where he spoke about his decision making and calculated thought-process in the moments before his pull on Saka.

In a previously unseen clip released on Monday, Chiellini claimed that it was a “natural reaction.”

Chiellini: I was ‘200% sure’ about bringing down Saka

“I was very lucid in that situation. I was 200% sure that it was just a yellow card, I was never in doubt about that. All the English fans say whatever, it’s not fair, it’s a red – It’s not a red,” he said.

Asked by Wright if he would have still have made the challenge on Saka had he already been on a yellow card, Chiellini said: “No. 120 (minutes in), yes. 90 with 30 minutes (of extra-time), I don’t know, probably not.”

The legendary former Italy and Juventus centre-back went on to explain that he was fully prepared to take a yellow card given the stage of the game that the incident occurred.

“You know the way that life can transcend this sort of situation, you know. You know if you have a yellow or not, that’s very easy to decide ‘okay, I can take a yellow,’ and that was the best moment to take it.”