Euro 2012 Final - Spain vs Italy

It's fascinating that Italy have had so much success with the unpopular 4312 formation that Milan, among others, have turned to in recent years. I would be very interested to see United try that out, it has no natural width, but that obviously didn't hurt Italy. Their fullbacks make up for that, and we have the fullbacks to match that style.

I don't think we'll see any changes, Balzaretti was fantastic at right back, I thought the penalty was very harsh, it's hard to imagine he though he'd take advantage in that moment of using his arm because there was no advantage to gain. Someone for Italy's defense needs to be represented in the team of the tournament, I know I'll be amending my team to include Chiellini, Bonucci, Barzagli or Balzaretti. But there has been a lot of chopping and changing there, it's been a team effort:

v Spain - Chiellini-De Rossi-Bonucci [Giaccherini and Maggio as wing backs]

v Croatia - Chiellini-De Rossi-Bonucci [Giaccherini and Maggio as wing backs]

v Ireland - Abate-Barzagli-Chiellini-Balzaretti [Bonucci for Chiellini after injury]

v England - Abate-Barzagli-Bonucci-Balzaretti [Maggio for Abate after injury]

v Germany - Balzaretti-Barzagli-Bonucci-Chiellini

But this effort against Germany was probably as good defensively as anything we'd produced this tournament, I think we'll finally see an unchanged defense, injury permitting.
 
gooDevil said:
It's fascinating that Italy have had so much success with the unpopular 4312 formation that Milan, among others, have turned to in recent years. I would be very interested to see United try that out, it has no natural width, but that obviously didn't hurt Italy. Their fullback make up for that, and we have the fullbacks to match that style.
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United aren't likely to play with a wingerless formation any time soon!
 
Spain are the favourites and rightly so.

Italy have been fantastic so far and I expected them to be the better team vs Germany. Spain are a different class to Germany though and, IMO, Italy won't be able to stop them from winning the title.

I quite like Italy though. I'm very impressed with the spirit they play with and with their attacking-minded football. Oh, and Pirlo :drool: Great great player.

Spain vs Italy in the group stages was a joy to watch. It won't be much different in the final. IMO, those who predict a boring final will turn out to be wrong.

Why are Spain and Italy the best teams right now? I think the main reason is their ability to move the ball quickly without surrendering possession. Technically limited players can't do that. Portugal and Germany have the potential to play like that (i.e. with quick exchange of passes), too. The WC in Brazil is going to be really good.
 
The statistic is simple and conclusive: Spain has played seven times Italy in the final stages of World and European Championships and never won, unless you consider the win on penalties at Euro four years ago.

Forza Azzurri
 
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:D

Xavi, Iniesta, Pirlo - more magic on the pitch than at a Harry Potter convention.
 
It's time for a change, Italy have played the best in the tournament over all, especially in the knockouts.
 
I've really been positively surprised by Italy this tournament, so I'm definitely supporting them for the final. Doesn't hurt that I strongly dislike the current Spain national team.
 
Treble said:
Spain vs Italy in the group stages was a joy to watch. It won't be much different in the final. IMO, those who predict a boring final will turn out to be wrong.
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agreed about the group stages but any final with either one of these teams, in the recent past, has been IMO, gash, going all the way back to 1994.
 
Helder-Carvalho said:
For the first time the referee of the CL final will be the same of the EC final.
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So Pedro Proença is referee? A fantastic decision by UEFA. Him together with Kassai are by a distance best referees in Europe. But Kassai has lunatic linesman so Pedro Proença is the correct choice.
 
Pedro Proença is fast becoming the best portuguese referee ever, he is a Benfica fan but Benfica's president don't want him to referee benfica's game because he says he is a bad referee, one of the many stupid things he has said in the last years.
 
Helder-Carvalho said:
Pedro Proença is fast becoming the best portuguese referee ever, he is a Benfica fan but Benfica's president don't want him to referee benfica's game because he says he is a bad referee, one of the many stupid things he has said in the last years.
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I remember that Pedro Proença was assaulted by a fan after an important game in Portugal (don't remember which). Iberic referees are referees I like most, mainly because they are strict referees and their attitude although sometimes they give more cards than they should. Olegário Benquerença is good too as is Alberto Undiano Mallenco (who I don't understand wasn't picked for EURO), and Cantallejo was brilliant too.

English referees to me seems the worst, while Italians who were brilliant now seems to be as shit as English.
 
BREAKING from BBC Sport

Italy win EURO2012 by forfeit after Spain are kicked out by UEFA for fielding a player from the Czech Republic (Czech Fabregas)
 
Spain have to start with a striker, otherwise it will be 4 play makers in the middle playmaking for themselves all game long. The quality of the pretty triangles in the middle will be astounding, but not sure Buffon would mind.
 
Nani Nana said:
BREAKING from BBC Sport

Italy win EURO2012 by forfeit after Spain are kicked out by UEFA for fielding a player from the Czech Republic (Czech Fabregas)
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Gif resistance urge is at the highest it's ever been......
 
Spain will play against Italy the same way they did against Portugal they were afraid of Ronaldo and Nani and alot of possession but in the middle of the field so they will not give space for the faster players to counter, I'm afraid the final will be a dull game as well.
 
‘Cassano OK for the final’
By Football Italia staff

Antonio Cassano has been given a clean bill of health for Italy ahead of the Euro 2012 final with Spain this Sunday.

There were doubts over his capacity to play a part from the start of the final against the Spanish in Kiev this weekend, after the player picked up a knee injury during the semi-final win over Germany.

However, Azzurri team doctor Enrico Castellacci has assured reporters that the Milan man will be fine.

“There was a slight twist in the knee for Cassano. However, from a clinical viewpoint there is no need to worry, there is no ligament damage.

“In the final against Spain we will see him.”

Castellacci also confirmed that Ignazio Abate and Mario Balotelli will both also be available for selection against Spain.
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http://www.football-italia.net/20583/‘cassano-ok-final’

29 year old Cassano has come off in the 58th minute against Germany, the 78th against England, 63rd against Ireland, 83rd against Croatia and the 65th against Spain.

So get your money down on Cassano being pulled off against Spain again. Or bet he'll play the whole game, because football is like that.
 
I just want a to see a great game with alot of goals and excitement going into extra time with a spectacular goal deep in injury time of extra time.
 
proenca-ref490ai.jpg


Sunday’s European Championship Final between Italy and Spain will be refereed by Pedro Proenca, UEFA have confirmed.

The Portuguese official, just 41, is handed the game less than two months after taking charge of the Chelsea-Bayern Munich Champions League Final tie.

Euro 2012 is Proenca’s first major international competition and was the man with the whistle in Italy’s quarter-final shoot-out win over England.

Proenca was also handed Spain’s 4-0 win over the Republic of Ireland and Sweden’s 2-0 triumph versus France earlier in the tournament.

http://www.football-italia.net/20565/proenca-will-ref-italy-spain
 
Love is in the air.

Sergio Ramos: "Iniesta is one of those players who is touched by the magic wand. As a football lover, I am proud to have played with him. He makes the difference and does things that no one else can do."
 
I dont want either of these cnuts to win, a draw please.
 
Will be interesting to see if the Italians can manage the same tempo and midfield play as they managed against Germany. I reckon they'd be in a very good spot if they can.

Looking forward to this!
 
2 goals against Spain would be like 5 against anyone else. I'm hoping for 1-0 with another cheeky Cassano pass to Balotelli for an unstoppable shot, and a heroic defensive effort.

I'd done calling for Di Natale, Balotelli for President!
 
Homeomorphic said:
Love is in the air.

Sergio Ramos: "Iniesta is one of those players who is touched by the magic wand. As a football lover, I am proud to have played with him. He makes the difference and does things that no one else can do."
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Iniesta on Ramos: 'He's such a shit defender I'm always expecting him to feck up and lose us the game'.
 
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