Giorgio Chiellini hopes Italy’s rotation against the Republic of Ireland will give them “intensity” against Spain.
Antonio Conte made eight changes for the final match of the group stage, with the Azzurri having already guaranteed top spot.
“We rested a lot of players in the last game, so hopefully that can be an advantage,” Chiellini told reporters in a Press conference.
Giorgio Chiellini hopes Italy’s rotation against the Republic of Ireland will give them “intensity” against Spain.
Antonio Conte made eight changes for the final match of the group stage, with the Azzurri having already guaranteed top spot.
“We rested a lot of players in the last game, so hopefully that can be an advantage,” Chiellini told reporters in a Press conference.
“Our football is draining, but the statistics show that we’re the team which has run the most. A team like ours needs high intensity and pressing, that’s the secret to not giving away many chances.
“Even if you [the media] haven’t seen many training sessions, I think you know the intense work we’ve been doing since May 18.
“The hope is to maintain physical condition until July 10.”
Both sides lost their last game, with Spain being surprised by Croatia.
“They’d have finished their group with nine points, if they hadn’t made some mistakes against Croatia.
“In the first half hour they were spectacular, but Croatia did well to stay in the game and keep believing until the end.
“Spain hadn’t conceded a goal at the Euros since [Antonio] Di Natale scored [in the first match in 2012], I don’t see an Iberian crisis.
“It’s a different Spain from the one at the World Cup which had some problems and lost to the Netherlands and Chile.
“This is lively team, they’ve found the will to fight and win. Spain is not a dead team, they’ll try to exploit any weaknesses.
“For us, it didn’t matter against Ireland. It didn’t matter because we were already top.
“[Leonardo] Bonucci had to be careful, but on Monday it’ll be a knockout game. We’re thinking about the game, so if we have to take a yellow card then we will.
“In these kind of games you can’t think about managing bookings.”
Finally, the Juventus defender was asked about Alvaro Morata, who has left the Bianconeri and will lead the line for Spain on Monday.
“First of all, he’s a special lad,” Chiellini replied.
“I’m sorry to be greeting him as a former teammate butI’m happy for him, and I hope he can stay at Real Madrid.
“He deserves to be the striker for Spain and Real, I’d be disappointed if he was used as a bargaining chip. He doesn’t deserve that.
“I don’t see why he can’t play at Real for 10 years, he has incredible talent and a lot of room for improvement.
“Over the past two years he’s grown so much on a tactical and human level. When he arrived he was a kid, he wasn’t considered a lad for the first team.
“We helped him grow every day, but the credit goes to him and his great talent.
“I hope he feels bad after Monday, but that could help him for the rest of his career!”