UEFA
Where could the game be won and lost? Here’s the UEFA’s take on the first semi-final between Italy and Spain on Tuesday.
Jorginho vs Sergio Busquets
Jorginho possesses loads of skills which are akin to those of Sergio Busquets. Just take note of the fact that Pep Guardiola, at Manchester City, wanted to take on the Italian midfield organiser before Chelsea beat him to the deal.
Guardiola was the man who 'discovered' Busquets; the midfielder was about to be ushered out when the coach took over at Barcelona and he has been looking for a younger replica of the 32-year-old ever since he left the club. Busquets has revitalised Spain since returning for the Slovakia game, but will Jorginho's greater athleticism and mobility give him the edge in midfield?
Giorgio Chiellini and Leonardo Bonucci vs Alvaro Morata
Up against Belgium's Romelu Lukaku in the last round, Italy's veteran centre-backs (combined age: 70) came out with their usual masterclass in the art of defending. That was a physical duel, something Chiellini and Bonucci love, but their Juventus team-mate Morata presents a very different challenge.
Spain's No7 knows everything about Italy's centre-backs, and can also cause plenty of problems with his constant movement. It will be a different kind of contest to the one with Lukaku, and not necessarily an easier one for Azzurri's two defensive lions.
Gianluigi Donnarumma vs Unai Simón
Donnarumma and Unai Simon have both showed two great qualities in goalkeepers during EURO 2020. For Simon, it was the ability to shake off mistakes; he needed a strong character to deal with his blunder from Pedri's back pass against Croatia, but made heroic saves in that game before starring in the quarter-final shoot-out against Switzerland.
At 24, Unai Simon is a couple of years older than Donnarumma, but he is way, way behind in terms of both club and international experience. Donnarumma, meanwhile, has mastered maintaining focus after games when he may have felt like a non-paying spectator.
