There are two sides to the current Italy team, as Oli Coates asks which one gives the Azzurri the best chance of success against England in the UEFA Euro 2020 Final.

They say that if you want something new, you have to stop doing something old. As we have seen so far at this summer’s European Championship, Italy have proven that is not the case. The Azzurri have brought a newfound attacking flair to these Euros, yet Roberto Mancini’s side have produced a couple of exceptional defensive performances to reach Sunday’s Final.

There should be no surprise that Mancini has sculpted an Azzurri team very much in his own image. Playing predominantly as a trequartista during his stellar career, Mancini has even written a thesis about the role of a deep-lying forward. Having scored more than 200 career goals, the Italy coach knows what it takes to both create and finish off chances.

The Azzurri have impressed in this respect over the course of the summer. They scored three times in one game for the first time in their European Championship history in their first fixture, before repeating the trick the second time out. With Ciro Immobile leading the line and the likes of Lorenzo Insigne, Domenico Berardi or Federico Chiesa in support, Italy have produced lots of exciting attacking football.

Bonucci: ‘Italy not worried about Wembley’

If a dynamic, cohesive attack was the hallmark of their first four matches at UEFA Euro 2020, then the theme has changed in their last game or two. The forward play was a joy to watch in the first half of the quarter-final against Belgium, as Nicolo Barella and Insigne both scored lovely goals to put the Azzurri 2-0 up. Romelu Lukaku’s penalty just before half-time meant there was a very different game plan for the second half.

This Italian side showed the defensive side of their game has not been compromised by the commitment to attack. There were some titanic performances from the likes of Giorgio Chiellini and Leonardo Bonucci against the Belgians, with the centre-back duo at their best once again in the semi-final against Spain. Only once did La Roja manage to breach Italy’s defences, with the Azzurri still looking dangerous on the break while getting bodies behind the ball for much of the 120 minutes.

That resoluteness in defence has taken Italy to 33 matches unbeaten coming into the Final against England. Gianluigi Donnarumma has still never conceded more than one goal in a game after making 32 appearances for his country. If the Azzurri can produce another defensive masterclass and show the sort of game management we’ve seen this summer, they have every chance of beating England on Sunday.

However, the Three Lions pose a serious threat, and not just because they will have home advantage at Wembley Stadium. Gareth Southgate has also changed his team’s style of play. The England boss has introduced a pragmatic approach and overseen a significant cultural shift. The Three Lions’ progress to the Final has been built on a solid defence, with Southgate identifying clean sheets as the basis for success.

Mancini: ‘England deserve to be in the Final’

This current English side appears most comfortable when soaking up pressure deep. Denmark showed in the semis that they can be hurt with quick passes through the lines, which won’t have been missed by the Italian coaches. The Danes were able to break with pace and purpose on many occasions, with England’s two-man midfield often overrun and unable to stop their opponents’ forward momentum.

As such, the blueprint for Italy on Sunday is clear. The best path to victory would appear to be allowing England to have possession. The Three Lions can lack imagination in the final third, while their finishing hasn’t been particularly clinical during this tournament. They’ve been strong from corners and set-pieces, but Italy will fancy their chances of keeping the English at bay from dead-ball situations.

Southgate’s side can break with pace though, which is why Italy will be better served to throw caution to the wind when attacking themselves. Given their defensive strength, Italy may only need a single goal in this game in order to secure their second European Championship title and sixth major international honour.

England have of course never tasted success before or after their 1966 World Cup triumph. There will be lots of pressure on the Three Lions in this game, particularly in front of what will be a predominantly English crowd. If the Azzurri can quieten Wembley down through a resolute defensive display, the attacking threat they’ve shown during this tournament will allow them to create chances.

Old Italy come back in style to reach Euro 2020 final

This Italy team is a wonderful blend of old and new. Of attack and defence. There are ball-playing midfielders who can control the play, but who’ve also shown the capacity to dig deep, as we saw in the last hour against Spain. Absorbing huge amounts of Spanish pressure and only conceding one goal allowed Italy to eventually secure their place in the final.

Another strong defensive performance from the whole team will give Italy the best chance of winning the Final. England will have the same idea though, so the outcome will depend on which team is more clinical in the final third. Unless, of course, the game goes all the way to a dreaded penalty shootout. In which case it’s all about being clinical from 12 yards, something Italy showed they can do in their semi-final.

Legendary Scottish manager Sir Alex Ferguson once famously said that ‘attack wins you games, defence wins you titles.’ If Italy can combine the two by producing the best of the old and new versions of themselves on Sunday, they will be champions of Europe.

 

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