Aycliffe Today Sports Editor and Newton Aycliffe FC reporter Glen Robertson continues his daily Euro 2012 blog…
So here we are. After 30 games and 72 goals, it all comes down to tonight’s game at the Olympic Stadium in Kiev.
Italy versus Spain. Gianluigi Buffon against Iker Casillas. Andrea Pirlo faces Andres Iniesta. A team playing two strikers battling against a side with none.
Italy have the chance to win a sixth major international title, drawing them level with Germany, and a first European Championship since 1968.
Spain are on the verge of winning a third consecutive major championship, making them the first ever football nation to compete the feat. Not even Argentina or Brazil have managed to retain their continental championship either side of winning the World Cup.
The Italians were hit pre-tournament by a match-fixing scandal. On the last two occasions this has happened – in 1982 and 2006 – they lifted the World Cup despite starting the tournament as outsiders.
Spain have not conceded a goal in a knockout fixture in nine games. Italy, Russia and Germany failed to break them down at Euro 2008, as did Portugal, Paraguay, Germany and Netherlands in South Africa in 2010. France and Portugal have already been kept out this summer. The Italians could be the 10th.
But Italy have already scored against the Spaniards this tournament – the only side to do so. They showed that Spain are vulnerable if the game is taken to them.
The player of the tournament award is between Italy’s Pirlo and Spain’s Iniesta. Whoever performs better today will decide that award, but more importantly which side will lift the trophy.
Mario Balotelli will take home the tournament’s top goalscorer award if he nets in the final. There are five players currently tied on three goals, with Balotelli among them. Cesc Fabregas, Xabi Alonso and Fernando Torres both have two goals each, so they’d need a double to take home the golden boot.
Both sides lifted their last trophies needing longer than 90 minutes. Italy beat France on penalties in the 2006 World Cup, while Spain beat Netherlands in the 2010 finals with a 116th minute winner from Iniesta.
Do not be surprised if tonight’s game goes beyond 90 minutes as well. And don’t expect any Panenka’s in the shoot-out this time, either.
Prediction: Italy 1-1 Spain – Italy to win on penalties
