In hindsight – and really, only in hindsight – this was how it was always going to end. We still believed, and they still believed, because this was Italy, and for all their foibles and frailties, that name and that crown still count for something. But scarcely can a crown have weighed more heavily. The defending champions are out, and most crushingly they barely threw a punch in the process. By the end, perhaps the most damning indictment of Luciano Spalletti’s team was that it didn’t even feel like a shock. Switzerland were not just better but braver, not just quicker but slicker, squeezing Italy’s weak spots with a sadistic relish, Remo Freuler and Ruben Vargas with the goals either side of half-time. Italy were overwhelmed for the first hour of this game, and by the last half-hour, when they were finally able to string a few passes together, who cared? Continue reading...

Manager has several team choices to make for Switzerland tie after uncertain group-stage campaign To watch Luciano Spalletti speak at the end of Italy’s draw against Croatia felt like being pitched into an alternate timeline. Outside, on the pitch at Leipzig Stadium, there had been joy and relief for the Azzurri after Mattia Zaccagni’s 98th-minute equaliser secured progress to Euro 2024’s knockout phase. Inside, at the press conference, there was the sort of prickly postmortem you might expect after early elimination. In a series of monologues, Spalletti railed against perceived critics. When one journalist, Dario Ricci, asked whether the decision to change formation to a 3-5-2 had been influenced by a “pact” with players, the manager accused him of sharing leaked information from the changing room. Continue reading...

Group B match in Leipzig kicks off at 8pm (BST)Albania v Spain – live with Michael ButlerShare your thoughts with Scott via email Zlatko Dalic makes four changes to the Croatia XI that started the 2-2 draw with Albania. Josip Stanišić and Marin Pongračić replace Josip Juranović and Ivan Perišić in defence, while Mario Pašalić and Luka Sučić come in for Bruno Petković and Lovro Majer up top. Italy coach Luciano Spalletti makes three changes to his side in the wake of the more-comprehensive-than-it-sounds 1-0 defeat by Spain, and they’re all in attack. Out go Davide Frattesi, Gianluca Scamacca and Federico Chiesa; in come Giacomo Raspadori and Mateo Retegui up front, with Matteo Darmain adding some ballast to the back line. Continue reading...