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sports Diasabra 26 Juni 2021

Record-chasing Italy becoming the team to fear at Euro 2020

(AP) — Italy’s unbeaten confidence ... we’re focused playoff loss to Sweden when
streak won’t last forever, and prepared very well for he left Insigne — consid-
and Austria coach Franco this upcoming match against ered the team’s most talented
Foda is plotting to be the Italy.” player — on the bench.
one to stop it.
Besides the unbeaten streak, Insigne has formed a strong
The Italians have become one Italy will also be trying to set partnership with Ciro Im-
of the favorites at the Europe- another record. The team mobile, who has finally been
an Championship after win- has not conceded a goal in 11 able to translate his scoring
ning all three of their games matches, a total of 1,055 min- success in Serie A to the in-
in the group stage, scoring utes. If Austria fails to score, ternational stage.
seven goals and conceding Italy will surpass the record
none. Those three victories of 1,143 minutes set between “It’s the first time that I’ve
at Euro 2020 extended the 1972 and 1974. played in such an important
team’s unbeaten streak under event at this level, in such an
coach Roberto Mancini to 30 For a team that failed to qual- important role,” Insigne said.
games — matching the previ- ify for the 2018 World Cup, “In the past other coaches
ous record set in the 1930s. Italy’s recent results are quite have used formations that
remarkable. were less compatible with my
“Initially it seemed to be an style of play, although I have “Our strength is that we Raspadori was brought on
insurmountable and impos- “It’s something that makes us always made myself available. don’t change our nature ever. as a substitute in Italy’s final
sible challenge for us, be- proud, especially considering Austria runs a lot and creates group match against Wales,
cause they haven’t lost for what they thought of us be- “Now Mancini is using a sys- pressure, we’ll study our op- making only his second ap-
an eternity,” Foda said. “But fore the tournament started,” tem of play that is more suit- ponents but we will prepare pearance for his country.
sooner or later even Manci- Italy forward Lorenzo In- ed to me and to other players’ for the match thinking about
ni’s team will lose.” signe said. “But we have to characteristics.” what we have to do.” “This is all a fairytale, for the
stay focused, calm and think team and for me,” Raspa-
Austria, which has reached about ourselves. We haven’t Insigne already has experi- Italy is playing with such dori said. “In four months so
the round of 16 at the tour- done anything yet. Our ob- ence scoring at Wembley, in a spirit that the buzzword many things have changed.
nament for the first time, will jective is to go all the way, it 1-1 draw against England in a among the Azzurri players is
get its chance on Saturday at wasn’t just to get through the friendly in 2018. “fairytale.” “Those who are now my Italy
Wembley Stadium. group stage.” teammates were who I saw as
“It was only a friendly but it No one embodies that more sporting idols a short while
“The team achieved some- The 30-year-old Insigne em- was incredible,” Insigne said. than Giacomo Raspadori, a ago.”
thing spectacular. We are in bodies Italy’s transformation “I think it’s everyone’s dream 21-year-old Sassuolo forward
the round of 16 and now we under Mancini. to score in such a stadium. who hadn’t even played a The winner of Saturday’s
want to put everything to We will try to go to London game for Italy when he was match will head to Munich to
take the next step to make it The previous coach, Gian and give a great performance, named in the 26-man squad face either defending cham-
into the quarterfinals,” Foda Piero Ventura, lost the squad’s as we have always done until for the tournament. pion Portugal or Belgium in
said Friday. “We have lots of support during a World Cup now. the quarterfinals on July 2.

Denmark on the road for 1st time to face Wales at Euro 2020

(AP) — After three emo- said. “He has been looking round of 16. Aaron Ramsey, another of
tional European Champi- forward to this summer so the veterans from the tourna- “Irrespective of what 11 he
onship matches in Copen- much, it’s a big, big dream for “On paper it sounds like a ment in France, is hoping to puts on the pitch, they’re go-
hagen, Denmark will next Christian, and just to know great idea to have it all around improve on the team’s per- ing to work, battle, fight for
play in a city that Chris- that he’s not here hurts.” Europe but logistically it is formance five years ago. each other and we have to
tian Eriksen once called an absolute nightmare, and match that,” Page said.
home. Wales coach Rob Page paid throw COVID into that mix “We’re a threat. We keep
tribute to the way the Den- as well,” Page said. games tight, so who knows,” Players on both sides should
The Danes will take on Wales mark team had coped with Eamsey said. “Why not go all have a good idea what to ex-
in the round of 16 at the Jo- the situation, but said his Wales’ victory over Turkey the way again?” pect from one another —
han Cruyff Arena on Satur- team has to focus solely on and a draw with Switzer- Kasper Schmeichel and Dan-
day, a stadium where Eriksen the match. land were enough for second Wales will be without mid- ny Ward both play for Pre-
is fondly remembered by place behind Italy in Group fielder Ethan Ampadu, who mier League club Leicester.
Ajax fans as a stylish midfield “Obviously the world has A. The Welsh lost 1-0 in their is suspended after being sent
playmaker from 2010-13 be- taken note of what’s hap- final match against the Ital- off early in the second half of “We have great competition
fore his transfer to Totten- pened and the emotion in- ian, one of the tournament’s the team’s final group match and we have a really great
ham. volved in it, but we can’t get top teams. against Italy for a foul on relation to each other,” Sch-
involved in that now,” he Federico Bernardeschi. meichel said of Ward. “I don’t
Denmark lost its first Euro said. “It’s work as usual for us Now Wales is hoping it can see any any weakness in him.
2020 match to Finland 1-0 and now we’ve got a job to do build up the same kind of Hjulmand said it would be He’s a complete goalkeeper.”
after Eriksen suffered cardiac and we want to go and finish momentum that carried it to tough to prepare against an
arrest on the field and had to it.” the semifinals of Euro 2016, unpredictable Welsh team. Also, Ben Davies and Joe
be resuscitated with a defi- where it lost to eventual Rodon are Tottenham team-
brillator. The Danes also lost While Denmark is hitting champion Portugal 2-0. “They’re very flexible. They mates with Denmark mid-
to Belgium before beating the road for the first time at change their strategy and fielder Pierre-Emile Hojb-
Russia 4-1 to finish second a tournament that is being Gareth Bale, one of the stars their positions so it’s going to jerg. Bale also played on loan
in Group B and advance to played in 11 cities across Eu- of the 2016 campaign, is his be hard to know what to ex- for the London club last sea-
knockout rounds. rope, Wales have had a tough- country’s all-time leading pect from that team,” he said. son.
er travel schedule. The team scorer with 33 goals, but he
“I’m thinking a lot about based itself in Baku, Azerbai- has not scored in his last 14 Page said it’s uncertain how Hojbjerg called Bale “one
Christian and how much I jan, where it played its first internationals and missed Denmark will set up for Sat- of the best players I’ve ever
have hoped that he could two matches before facing a penalty against Turkey in urday’s match. What he does played with.”
experience this,” Denmark Italy in Rome and traveling Baku. know is that Wales has to
coach Kasper Hjulmand to the Netherlands for the match the Danes physically.