SM
Inter Milan vs. Como: 20 hrs 23 mins
Upcoming predictions and previews
Collect News Data
EN
European Championship | Semi-Finals
Jul 7, 2021 at 8pm UK
Wembley Stadium
DN

England
2 - 1
Denmark

Kjaer (39' og.), Kane (104')
Maguire (49')
FT
(aet)
Damsgaard (30')
Wass (72')

Euro 2020 day 26: Heavyweights Spain and Italy collide at Wembley

:Headline: Euro 2020 day 26: Heavyweights Spain and Italy collide at Wembley:
The first semi-final sees the sides meet in a repeat of the 2012 final in Kiev.
Sports Mole

European heavyweights Italy and Spain clash in the first semi-final at Euro 2020 on Tuesday night at Wembley.

Italy, the standout team so far in the competition, reached the last four by beating Belgium, while steadily-improving Spain needed penalties to overcome a spirited Switzerland side.

The winners will play either England or Denmark in the final at Wembley on Sunday.

Here, the PA news agency takes a look at the semi-final ties.

Italy not favourites – Enrique

Spain head coach Luis Enrique does not agree with the notion that Italy are favourites to reach the final (Stuart Franklin/AP)

Spain coach Luis Enrique does not believe there is a favourite for the game as he maintains his side are still getting better as they progress.

Their performances have been inconsistent and unconvincing so far and while that may have attracted criticism, the former Barcelona and Roma boss is unmoved.

"We arrived very confident and with room for improvement. Saying who is the favourite seems very daring to me," said Enrique. "Asking for a grade while you're still taking the exam...it's better to wait. The grade is the least of it. We are in the last part of the exam; we don't want to know the grade until the end."

Bonucci wary of the threat posed by Morata

Alvaro Morata has been criticised for missing too many chances at Euro 2020 (Stuart Franklin/AP)

The Spain striker has been the target for much criticism in his homeland due to his relatively poor form with two goals in five matches at the finals, a disappointing return for the number of chances he gets.

Italy captain Leonardo Bonucci has sung the praises of his Juventus team-mate, saying: "I've had to go through what he went through and I know what it's like to read and feel certain things as well. He's a great guy and a terrific footballer, a complete striker. He is one of the best centre-forwards in world football and we need to make sure we are switched on (on Tuesday night)."

Can Italy's ageless defensive duo cope against a mobile Spanish side?

Italy have the second-best defensive record behind England at the tournament having conceded just two in five matches and kept three clean sheets, thanks largely to the veteran duo of Giorgio Chiellini (36) and Bonucci (34).

While the pair may struggle for pace, they are able to rely on their vast experience – both have won more than 100 caps apiece – and the organisation they instil in their team-mates.

Spain have a mobile, multi-functional approach to attack which is not necessarily beholden to a central striker and Enrique will hope they can change the angles and open up space between Italy's two great pillars in defence.

Harry Kane insists he was unaffected by his goalless start to Euro 2020

The England captain drew a blank in the first four games and was questioned in some quarters before returning to form. He struck the second goal in the last-16 win over Germany before scoring a brace in the 4-0 quarter-final victory against Ukraine on Saturday night.

A goal for Kane against Denmark would see him draw level on 10 with Gary Lineker as England's leading goalscorer in major tournaments.

"It's not so much about proving other people wrong," said Kane. "It's about proving to myself again that I am as good as I can be, I can score at any level, I've done it at any stage. When you go three or four games without scoring, you want to score and put that to bed and at a major tournament it gets heightened even more but the fact that I have so much self-belief in myself and my team, I don't really let that stuff affect me.

Denmark won the last meeting between the two teams

Denmark's Kasper Schmeichel and Christian Eriksen celebrate winning at Wembley last year (Toby Melville/PA)

England are favourites to progress to Sunday's final but the Danes claimed a 1-0 win against the Three Lions at Wembley last October in the Nations League in a contest where Maguire and Reece James were both sent off.

"We can use that meeting to make us believe that it is possible (to win)," said Denmark defender Andreas Christensen. "They have a lot of support but also a lot of pressure on them. I feel like we have the qualities to play against everyone. As a team, I would not say they are that much better."

Stat of the day

Italy coach Roberto Mancini became only the second coach in European Championship history to win each of his first five matches in the finals after Michel Hidalgo, who won all five of his matches in charge of France in 1984.

body check tags ::

amp_article__454138 : Collect and Make Data not in DataBase  : 
last updated article - 2021-07-06 07:43:48:
html db last update - 2021-07-06 07:43:48 :

ex - 7200 : read : write cache and make html
Read more!

Click here for more stories about Harry Kane

Click here for more stories about Denmark

Share this article now:


Sports Mole provides in-depth previews and predictions for every match from the biggest leagues and competitions in world football.
AL
Sign up for our FREE daily preview newsletter direct to your inbox!
Recommended Next on SM
Euro 2020 day 25: England eyeing first-ever final appearance
Two Arsenal, two Liverpool: Sports Mole's Premier League Team of the Week
Premier League Table
TeamPWDLFAGDPTS
1Liverpool16123137162139
2Chelsea17105237191835
3Arsenal1796234161833
4Nottingham ForestNott'm Forest179442319431
5Bournemouth178452721628
6Aston Villa178452626028
7Manchester CityMan City178362925427
8Newcastle UnitedNewcastle177552721626
9Fulham176742422225
10Brighton & Hove AlbionBrighton176742726125
11Tottenham HotspurSpurs1772839251423
12Brentford177283232023
13Manchester UnitedMan Utd176472122-122
14West Ham UnitedWest Ham175572230-820
15Everton163761421-716
16Crystal Palace173771826-816
17Leicester CityLeicester173592137-1614
18Wolverhampton WanderersWolves1733112740-1312
19Ipswich TownIpswich172691632-1612
20Southampton1713131136-256
Scroll for more - Tap for full version


Sports Mole provides in-depth previews and predictions for every match from the biggest leagues and competitions in world football.
AL
Sign up for our FREE daily preview newsletter direct to your inbox!

Loading ...

Failed to load data.

history www

Top Premier League goalscorers of all time

NEW

1

TP

Rashford's future 'takes a fresh twist' as 'new favourite' for Man United star 'emerges'

2

RF

Liverpool's top goalscorers of all time

NEW

3

LT

Game of the season: Leaders Liverpool tear Tottenham apart in nine-goal spectacular

4

GO

'Everton draw better than Brentford win': Maresca delighted with Toffees stalemate

5

'D

No Rush? The maths behind Salah's pursuit of Liverpool record

6

NR

Kylian is back: Mbappe shines as Real Madrid beat Sevilla in six-goal thriller at Bernabeu

7

KI

Two birds, one transfer: Spurs eye 'dual benefit' January deal for Dortmund star

8

TB

How many records? Salah among history makers in Spurs-Liverpool thriller

9

HM

Diaz or Darwin? Djed or Destiny? Tottenham vs. Liverpool lineups confirmed!

10

DO


. . . . . . . . . . . . . . .