We’re into the final! Italy have now also overcome Spain, beating La Furia Roja on penalties to keep the European Championship dream alive. The fairytale goes on and will come to a conclusion at Wembley on Sunday, when the Azzurri take on the winner of England vs. Denmark. Italy have reached the final for the fourth time in the history of the competition and did so deservedly. Federico Chiesa gave the Azzurri the lead with a fantastic finish before substitute Alvaro Morata got Spain level. As it was against Austria, the Azzurri displayed their ability to dig deep and defend with grit and heart in extra time, to then bring it home in the shootout. Spain’s record-breaking cycle began in 2008 with a victory on penalties over Italy in the quarter-finals. Maybe this is the start of a new cycle… To tell you the truth, Italy are already on a brilliant run: 33 games without defeat. Just two away from the absolute record set by whom? Exactly, by Spain. Football moves in circles.

THE GAME. Mancini was forced into one change to the starting line-up that faced Belgium: Emerson started at left-back in place of the injured Spinazzola. The rest of the team remained the same, with Verratti and Jorginho sitting alongside each other in midfield and Chiesa was once again preferred to Berardi in that attacking trio alongside Immobile and Insigne. Only two players remain for Spain from that team that beat Italy in the final nine years ago: Jordi Alba and Busquets. Eric Garcia and Laporte started in the heart of the defence, with Azpilicueta and Jordi Alba on either side of them. 19-year-old starlet Pedri started with veterans Busquets and Koke in a strong Spain midfield, to which we are by now very accustomed. Dani Olmo replaced the injured Sarabia, but the real surprise was the absence in the starting line-up of Morata, who was replaced by Mikel Oyarzabal. The Real Sociedad winger started on the right, Ferran Torres on the left and Dani Olmo was deployed as a false 9. Luis Enrique made this move to not give Chiellini and Bonucci anybody to man-mark.

The first bit of excitement came in the third minute: Emerson fed Barella, who took it past Unai Simon and then hit the post with a curling effort from a tight angle. The linesmen then raised his flag for a clear offside against the midfielder. The tiki-taka began to flow as Spain settled into their usual rhythm of possession football and short interplay. Pedri’s ball found Oyarzabal in the box, who got free of Emerson but fluffed his lines in front of the goal. Barella then lost possession in a dangerous area but breathed a sigh of relief after Ferran Torres’ effort went wide. Italy went close themselves in the 20th minute: Insigne and Emerson combined well, but first Immobile and then Barella ran out of time to shoot and it was cleared away. It was a lively match; the fans at Wembley were certainly not bored. Dani Olmo then had a go, but Donnarumma got down quickly to make a smart stop. Emerson, fed on the overlap by Insigne, was halted in the box by Busquets. Then, Oyarzabal sent his shot into the stands following a swift counter, which was kick-started by Pedri. Right before the end of the half, Italy created their best chance up to that point: Insigne produced a reverse pass for Emerson, whose powerful effort from a tight angle clipped the bar. The replay showed that Unai Simon had got a crucial touch.

The second half began in the same vein as the first, with Dani Olmo and Oyarzabal posing a constant threat. From the right wing, the Real Sociedad man managed to roll the ball across for Busquets, who fired narrowly over from the edge of the box. The Azzurri were also able to cause problems, with Unai Simon doing well to smother an angled drive from Chiesa following a counter-attack that started with an Immobile back-heel. As was the case in the round of 16 against Austria, the Azzurri No.14 then broke the deadlock. After being found by Verratti, Insigne played an inspired pass for Immobile. Following a ricochet off a defender, the ball fell to Chiesa, who found the net with a magnificent right-footed curler. The Italian fans at Wembley had been sent into raptures and Italy were in front.

Mancini then took off Immobile, sending on Berardi in his place. As for Spain, Morata came on for the ineffective Ferran Torres. With 65 minutes on the clock, Oyarzabal failed to nod in Koke’s cross from an excellent position. Donnarumma breathed a sigh of relief, and, shortly afterwards, the Azzurri shot-stopper was happy to see Dani Olmo fire off target. Having been galvanised by his goal, Chiesa set up Berardi for a shot, but Unai Simon managed to keep it out with his legs. It was then time for a double change for both sides: Koke and Oyarzabal made way for Rodri and Gerard Moreno, while Mancini replaced Verratti and Emerson with Pessina and Toloi. Italy would inevitably have to dig in. After Unai Simon had saved another Berardi attempt, Spain equalised through Morata, who combined well with Dani Olmo and got the better of Donnarumma. 1-1 and a reaction was required. However, it was Spain who had the next opportunity, with a Busquets header going just beyond the far post. Fresh legs were required: Locatelli and Belotti replaced Barella and Insigne. Meanwhile, Luis Enrique, realising that the match wouldn’t be settled in 90 minutes, took off Azpilicueta and sent on Marcos Llorente.

It went to extra time. There was a scare in the 98th minute, when Morata failed to direct the ball on target after Donnarumma had pushed away Dani Olmo’s free-kick. Spain looked the fresher side, with the Azzurri being forced to defend strenuously. At the end of the first 15 minutes, Mancini asked for one last push from his players. Cramp forced Chiesa to leave the pitch, with Bernardeschi entering the fray. With 110 minutes on the clock, Berardi put the ball in the net, but it was chalked off for offside. In the end, penalties were needed. Unai Simon saved the first spot-kick taken by Locatelli, but Dani Olmo fired the next one over. Belotti and Gerard Moreno then scored, as did Bonucci and Thiago Alcantara. Bernardeschi then stepped up and made no mistake, while Donnarumma denied Morata. It all came down to penalty specialist Jorginho, who found the net and sent Italy to the final. Joy at Wembley, where the Azzurri will play to win the European Championship on Sunday. The dream continues.