Too much Spain for Spalletti's Italy: Azzurri beaten, Calafiori's own goal decides

Gelsenkirchen - Appointment in Leipzig on Monday evening against Croatia. There, our European Championship will be decided, counting on two results out of three (net of the crosses with the other groups to qualify the best thirds). It is the only consolation of the night at the Schalke Arena, which crumples Luciano Spalletti's dream book. Spain were too strong, simply too strong for this Italy that suffered so much and created so little. And luckily, Gigio Donnarumma's gloves worked brilliantly, to the point of making it seem ironic and paradoxical that the knockout only came one-nil, and on Calafiori's own goal (one of the least in an evening in which, apart from the captain, perhaps no one else was good enough). A clear defeat, to be memorised and filed away, because there are more good feet on the way like those of Modric and Perisic, albeit loaded with years and honours. And anyway, our tournament is exactly where we imagined it to be.

He chose his party dress, Luciano Spalletti, to present himself at his best in the eyes of King Felipe of Spain, seated in the stands, but above all in those of his own football conscience. Italy is the same side that beat Albania in the opener. Little point in changing if you want to impose your game anyway, your football is not a philosophy but still a style, an idea, a proposal. Which must be so against any opponent, because the difference, once you have understood who you are, is the way, the way you interpret and read the arabesques that the ball draws on this magnificent green lawn.

Donnarumma's volley on Pedri's central header, Nico Williams' (who made the first assist) dinked unbelievably wide from close range on Morata's poisoned cross, which then rebounded back to Gigio after Yamal's fantasy-dribbling, with the captain then deflecting Fabian Ruiz's cross into a corner. Twenty-five minutes of suffering, but nothing other than what was expected. Barella and Di Marco looked for space and metres, Chiesa a few tears, but we struggled to stretch out, to produce anything from Unai Simon's side. Half-time arrives desired and saving like an oasis in the desert for a thirsty caravan.

Beastly, at least that, to stand up to these Red Furies. Spalletti tried to flex his muscles at the start of the second half, with Cambiaso at centre-half in place of Frattesi and Cristante (cautioned after a handful of seconds) in the middle for Jorginho. Nothing, or rather everything, changed, and that was the result: first Pedri gobbled up another goal, then there was another left-footed drive by Williams, on whose cross Morata touched, Donnarumma touched, Calafiori deflected with his left knee into our goal. One-nil Spain and the feeling is that what should have happened much earlier has happened.

Spalletti tried to find some vitality on the bench with Zaccagni and Retegui for Chiesa and Scamacca, who were evanescent to say the least. It was the Italo-Argentine who narrowly missed a low cross from Cristante. We tried to react, but in the meantime Williams rattled the crossbar with a right-footed volley. The Azzurri's finale was at least volatile, with even captain Donnarumma trying his last assault on a corner in the Spanish box. All in vain, but at least this will must be the starting point for the decisive challenge in Leipzig against Croatia.