La Roja brings down the European champions and their record

Victorious over Italy (2-1) in the semifinals of the Nations League this Wednesday in San Siro, Spain offers itself the first ticket to the final by beating the reigning European champions.

Ferran Torres puts San Siro at his feet. Against Italy, who were playing at home, Spain won 2-1 at San Siro, carried by a Ferran Torres of the great evenings. Luis Enrique’s men quickly imposed their tempo after the opening of the scoring in the 17th minute by the Manchester City striker, who doubled the bet thirty minutes later (45 + 2nd), on a similar action: center of Mikel Oyarzabal, and Ferran Torres at the end at the far post. With the tip of the foot on an extension, or the head. A very agitated first half, where Italy missed a lot, and whose captain Leonardo Bonucci ended up receiving two yellow cards synonymous with red after a nudge on Busquets. Too nervous, he definitely plunged his own by leaving the field in the 42nd minute.

At 10-11 for the remainder of the game, Roberto Mancini’s men were physically overtaken, with Spanish ball possession hovering around 80% in the second half. Spain was setting up its traditional tiki-taka and hoping for a loophole in a wait-and-see Italy. But she ended up being surprised. On a loss of a Spanish ball full axis, Federico Chiesa who had followed well, managed a situation of one-on-one for Lorenzo Pellegrini who will come to conclude with a flat foot. 2-1, San Siro believed in it again. Dominating, Spain ultimately won 2-1 and therefore put an end to the Italian series of 37 unbeaten games, a world record set by the winners of Euro 2021.

Gavi, a dream first

Even before the start of the match, Gavi had made history. Holder against the European champion for his first call, the young boy of 17 years and 62 days has become the youngest player in history to wear the jersey of the Spanish selection. A first that he inaugurated with class and serenity, hurting the midfielder who is known to close as much space as possible. And he agrees with Luis Enrique, who has always maintained that it was not too early to launch it. The youngster, who has only five La Liga games to his name, even stood up to Marco Verratti. Very nervous, the PSG midfielder has not stopped discussing each decision, which ended up annoying Gavi.

This battle won by the Spaniards was also thanks to the two other midfielders, Koke and Busquets, who gave a football lesson to an Italian midfield tired of having to constantly run. The three complementary players distribute, collect and project themselves in an increasingly marked tempo over the minutes. A successful evening also for the Spanish attack, which sometimes lacks effectiveness, but which could count on a pair Oyarzabal-Torres of the great evenings, at the origin of the two goals.

Donnarumma, a complicated return to Milan

Copiously whistled by San Siro for his return to Italian soil after his departure from PSG, Gigio Donnarumma took a long time to get into his match. After a first goal against which he could nothing, he is not exempt from all reproach on an action by Marcos Alonso in the 19th. More than ever a last bulwark after the exclusion of Leonardo Bonucci, the former AC Milan goalkeeper was much better in the second half, pulling out a few decisive saves as Spain sought to increase the score.

Passed in 5-3-1, Italy sought above all to assert its defensive solidity, playing against thanks to their fast offensive transitions. An insufficient game plan, but which will at least have sowed doubt in Spanish minds and maintained the hopes of an entire Italy which had been living on a cloud since the Euro. To find out Spain’s future opponent in the final, meet Thursday at 8:45 p.m. for France-Belgium.