Euro 2020: The Pivotal Matches on Italy’s Journey to the Final

After several weeks of top international football action, we finally know the identity of one of the finalists of Euro 2020 is Italy. Italy overcame Spain on penalties to book their place in the Wembley showpiece on July 11th and many betting fans are seemingly backing the Azzurri to go all the way and secure the coveted trophy.

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The fact that the Italians are well-fancied is highlighted by the betting odds surrounding them. They are the favourites in the UEFA Euro 2021 winner odds market after successfully navigating through the tough half of the draw, which included a 2-1 victory over Belgium and the recent win on penalties against Spain. Roberto Mancini deserves all the plaudits for turning the team around and is one win away from securing Italy’s second Euro trophy.

Italy’s current success is certainly a far cry from late 2017, when the team lost a play-off against Sweden and missed out on a place at the 2018 World Cup in Russia. As FIFA.com highlights, this meant that Italy did not participate in a World Cup for the first time since 1958.

So, where has it all gone right for them in this tournament? Well, while the team’s run to the final has overall been very impressive, a few fixtures arguably stand out from the rest.

Italy’s Strong start

The old saying goes that you should start as you mean to go on and Italy did that in their opening match against Turkey. The Azzurri swept aside the opposition and secured a 3-0 victory, with an own goal and strikes from Ciro Immobile and Lorenzo Insigne doing the job. The result also set them on their way to winning all three group matches without conceding a goal.

Another big result was the quarter-final victory against Belgium in Munich. The latter are currently number one in the FIFA World Rankings, but first-half goals from Nicolo Barella and Insigne put Italy in a strong position. Romelu Lukaku pulled one back from the spot, but ultimately the Italians were able to see the game out and progress.

Finally, the match against Spain offered up some gripping drama. As the Italian national side’s website details, Federico Chiesa put Italy ahead before Spain responded through a fine effort from Alvaro Morata. The sides could not be separated until penalties, with Jorginho stepping up to convert the crucial spot kick and send Italy into dreamland.

Strong performers for Italy

International tournaments always provide plenty of action and Euro 2020 has been no different. Italy have been strong performers throughout the competition, so it is perhaps not a huge surprise to see them progress all the way to the final.

It will be interesting to see how their journey ultimately concludes, but it is clear from the betting information that many think the Azzurri will be victorious. With that in mind, many people will be keen to see how the drama plays out in the final.