Italy by land, sea and air

The Italian team celebrates with the fans their passage to the semifinal after beating Belgium.Philipp Guelland / POOL / EFE

In November 2017, an image of Buffon yelling at the gloves and all the demons expressed the downfall of Italian football, losing to Sweden and unable to qualify for the 2018 World Cup in Russia, a hit that had not occurred since 1954. Four more years late, Italy has drank from the fountain of eternal youth, a renewed and intimidating team, since it has 13 consecutive victories - the only one in the tournament that counts its matches by victories - and 32 games without knowing defeat. And they do it with a dominating football from an inflexible 4-3-3, also with good treatment of the ball, always in a block and without fuss to run backwards, forgetting that old passion and heraldic heritage of the

catenaccio

, the lock and outputs shot against.

It is the Italy of Roberto Mancini, nothing to do with that of his predecessor Gian Piero Ventura, who did not know how to make the generational transition requested by the national team.

With the exception, of course, of the mammoth and perennial Bonucci and Chiellini in the axis of the rear.

Perhaps there is no superstar like Mbappé or Ronaldo, but there are 11 top-level footballers who dignify their craft with sweat and generosity, as well as talent.

A rival, therefore, superlative for the Spanish team.

A tall goalkeeper.

It does not seem to bother Donnarumma to live in the uncertainty, as he has left Milan and is waiting to stamp his signature on a leading club, apparently PSG. The young goalkeeper (22 years old) can already boast of being the Italian who has extended his unbeaten record the longest, reaching 1,168 minutes to dethrone the legendary Dino Zoff (1,143). Excellent in aerial balls - he measures 1.96 meters - and sensational when it comes to reducing spaces in one on one, he also responds with agility under the sticks, even if his footwork is not his strength. They have not demanded too much from him during the tournament, since he has only had to use himself six times and they have scored two goals, the second team behind England until the quarterfinals.And that he was able to take over from Buffon without the team suffering says it all.

Old school defense

. As it tends to have more ball than the rival and defends as a block in any part of the field, the team does not stand out in many of the defensive statistics. Just abort problems sooner. The order is put by the old

rockers

Bonucci and Chiellini, the first one more neat in the exit of the ball and the second excellent in the cut and anticipation.

But the key, the weapon that comes by surprise, is the left back Spinazzola, the fastest footballer in the tournament with 33.8 km / h of top speed, just like Négo (Hungary) and above the French Conan (33.7 ).

He adds two assists on goal and has shot 17 breaks, a dagger that Di Lorenzo -right back- must balance while protecting the position more.

For that other band Chiesa already expresses herself (13 breaks).

Spinazzola, however, will surely be out against Spain due to injury.

More information

• Jorginho, the medium that learned to play with his mother

• Donnarumma, from watching Buffon on TV to breaking youth records

Average of work, touch and arrival.

The lever that moves the Italian world is Jorginho, a

box to box

midfielder

[from area to area] who never tires of running, accumulating 57.7 kilometers in the tournament, only behind the indefatigable Pedri (61.5). But it is not only legs but also has feet, capable of delivering 371 passes - fourth behind Laporte (519), Pau Torres (399) and Alba (386) -; some statistics (those of possession) in which Spaniards always appear in the leading positions.

Ahead of Jorginho have settled Verratti - whom Mancini always waited with open arms - and Barella, who has won the game against Locatelli, even though he has revealed himself as a player with arrival and goal, since he scored two to Swiss. Verratti guarantees possession of the ball, diligent and precise circulation, while Barella feels comfortable driving and is asked to reach the area by surprise. But everyone likes the ball, to the point that they have an average of 55.8% of possession in the games, which is in fourth position, behind the leader Spain which reaches 67.2%).

Shotguns forwards.

Although it is the second team that has scored the most goals (11), for Spain's 12, Italy does not have a natural scorer, even though Insigne is fixed on the left side, Inmobile acts on the inside and Chiesa -who won the game to the disappeared Berardi- express himself on the right. Thus, Insigne, Inmobile, Locatelli and Pessina have shared the task of scoring, two per beard. But they are shotguns, because Inmobile is the one who has fired the most shots (16) - tied with Ronaldo - and Insigne (14) is fourth. Normal that it is the team that has tried the most shots (followed by Spain (95), and Denmark (77) far behind.

Generous in the retreat and in the defensive effort, always ready to place themselves between the ball and their goal if they go over the line, the forwards, however, do not worry about the collective game until the last meters, because they open and stretch the field, they also live limit, determined to look for the diagonals and the backs of the defenders.

Thus, they add 15 offside, the most, after Switzerland and Croatia (13).

Spain has a job, it has a great rival in front of it.

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