Football Italia
·14 July 2024
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·14 July 2024
Fabio Capello, Giorgio Chiellini and Paolo Di Canio make their predictions for the EURO 2024 Final between Spain and England, noting what they need to avoid repeating from the defeat to Italy.
Chiellini will have to walk out onto the pitch and hand over the European Championship trophy, as Italy officially lose their status as reigning Champions of Europe.
They only got to hold it for three years rather than the usual four, because the EURO 2020 tournament was postponed to the summer of 2021 due to the pandemic.
Chiellini is also acting as a Sky Sport Italia pundit this evening and commented looking around at the overwhelming number of England fans in the stands, just as they were against Italy at Wembley.
“It takes me back, seeing the English so enthusiastic and happy, remembering how quickly their mood can change,” grinned the retired defender.
Former England manager Capello examined that EURO 2020 Final too, which was decided on penalties after a 1-1 draw.
“England have scraped through so far with last-minute goals in the tournament, but what I hope is that if they do take the lead this time, they don’t immediately start defending again,” said Capello.
“I remember at Wembley, they took the lead in the second minute and by the 20th they had already started time-wasting. That is when they lost the match, you could tell their attitude.”
Capello also criticised manager Gareth Southgate for his initial tactical approach with Trent Alexander-Arnold in midfield.
“Since Kobbie Mainoo came in, it made a huge difference. Declan Rice now has a player alongside him who know how to hold and find his position.
“Alexander-Arnold is good with the ball at his feet, but I studied him carefully, he doesn’t know how to take a position. He just doesn’t know.”
Former West Ham United forward Di Canio is a regular on Sky Sport Italia and presents their Premier League coverage, so he was enjoying the atmosphere by taking pictures of the crowd in Berlin.
However, he wasn’t too impressed with the way England have been playing either.
“This is a team with players trained by great coaches at club level, many of them Spanish, but the problem is that Southgate doesn’t get them to play that way. There is a lot of talent here, but they don’t play like that.”