Defending champions Italy will clash with Switzerland in the Euro 2024 last 16 on Saturday, having narrowly secured their place in the knockout stage.
The Azzurri needed a 98th-minute equaliser from relative unknown Mattia Zaccagni to draw against Croatia, ensuring a second-place finish in Group B, five points behind leaders Spain.
Coach Luciano Spalletti insisted his team deserved to advance but undermined his own statement by criticising the players for a lacklustre performance in their final group game. The 65-year-old coach also lashed out at the media and anyone applying pressure on his side, seemingly trying to deflect from his struggles to get the two-time winners firing on all cylinders.
Spalletti’s comments were sometimes contradictory, as he claimed his team had been improving throughout the tournament. However, to outside observers, his revamped Italy squad appears unconvincing and significantly weaker than the team that triumphed at Euro 2020, where they defeated Switzerland 3-0 in the group stage.
Both goalscorers from that match, Manuel Locatelli, who scored twice, and Ciro Immobile, were left out of the squad by Spalletti, along with midfielder Marco Verratti.
Key defenders Leonardo Bonucci and Giorgio Chiellini have retired, and Juventus forward Federico Chiesa has not been at his best. Lazio forward Zaccagni, 29, remains optimistic, insisting his team can improve in the knockout rounds.
Meanwhile, Murat Yakin’s Switzerland squad features several Serie A players, including Inter Milan goalkeeper Yann Sommer and Bologna trio Dan Ndoye, Remo Freuler, and Michel Aebischer.
Italy will be without the suspended Riccardo Calafiori, but Zaccagni says he is ready to play despite hurting his ribs during the celebrations of his late goal.
Questions remain about Italy’s best formation, with Spalletti changing tactics against Croatia, while holding midfielder Jorginho has particularly struggled. Striker Mateo Retegui put in a lot of effort against Croatia but failed to impress, similar to Gianluca Scamacca in their opening 2-1 win over Albania and 1-0 defeat by Spain.
In the past, Switzerland, who also edged out Italy for qualification to the last World Cup, might have been considered an easier opponent. However, they demonstrated against Germany that they can pose a threat to any team.
Switzerland went through Group A unbeaten, with Germany needing a 92nd-minute goal to secure a 1-1 draw in the final group game.
That result might have been a blessing in disguise, pushing Switzerland into second place and the perceived easier half of the draw—Germany, Spain, Portugal, France, and Belgium are all in the other half.
Switzerland showed at Euro 2020 that they can cause upsets, knocking out Kylian Mbappe’s France on penalties in the last 16 before Spain returned the favour in the quarterfinals.
That victory will give them confidence to aim for their best-ever finish in the tournament by reaching the last eight.
The winners will face England or Slovakia in the quarterfinals.