Spain will be bidding to end Italy's phenomenal 32-game unbeaten run when the sides meet in the Euro 2020 semi-final on Tuesday.
In Luis Enrique, Spain have a perhaps the tournament’s most successful coach to come out of the club game — his Barcelona team achieved the Spanish league and cup double in 2015 and 2016, and also won the Champions League in 2015 — and his young team’s current unbeaten run is 13 matches.
Luis Enrique watched his stars, including Ferran Torres, Koke, Thiago Alcantara, and captain Sergio Busquets, warm up with a final training session on Monday in Madrid ahead of the Wembley showdown.
They have managed to shrug off shrug off concerns about their experience, and early tournament form, to move within two wins of becoming European champions again, after winning in 1964, 2008 and 2012.
History is on their side - each time Spain have advanced from the quarterfinals, they have gone on to win the trophy. But they will be up against it, with five of Italy's run coming at Euro 2020.
The team earned victories over Turkey, Switzerland and Wales in the group stage, but then was taken to extra time before beating Austria in the round of 16.
An impressive 2-1 victory over top-ranked Belgium followed, giving Italy a record 13th consecutive win.
