After being sucker punched by the Republic of Ireland, Italy will bring back their big guns in a bid to turn the tide of history against Spain at the European Championship finals.
Martin O’Neill’s Ireland produced a gutsy performance in Lille on Wednesday to end Italy’s hopes of a clean sweep of wins in Group.
On a pitch that Uefa said had suffered “irreparable damage”, an Italy ‘B’ team struggled against the Irish long-ball tactics, and Robbie Brady’s 85th minute winner was enough for Ireland after Sweden lost to Belgium.
Italy’s display raised concerns that Antonio Conte’s men may not bounce back in time to face defending two-time champions Spain on Monday.
But Napoli winger Lorenzo Insigne, who hit the post after coming on as a second-half substitute, said Italy have faith they can beat Spain at the Stade de France in Paris.
More from Euro 2016:
• Best quotes from the group stage: "Sometimes you're the dog, sometimes you're the tree"
• Diego Forlan column: Euro 2016's smaller teams can emulate Uruguay's World Cup 2010 heroics
• Group stage best XI: Gareth Bale, Dimitri Payet and Toni Kroos among Euro 2016 Team of the Group Stage
“It doesn’t matter who plays. This is a fantastic squad, were all in the same boat and we’re all rowing in the same direction,” he said.
“I’m looking ahead to Monday’s game. It’s going to be crucial but I’m convinced we can make it to the next round.”
Conte left goalkeeper Gianluigi Buffon, defender Giorgio Chiellini, midfielders Daniele De Rossi, Emanuele Giaccherini and Antonio Candreva and strikers Graziano Pelle and Eder on the bench for the final group clash.
Insigne instead suggested the Irish game beat them more than the absences.
“It wasn’t a case of us missing players,” he said.
“Obviously, the pitch didn’t make it easy for us, but their physicality gave us problems, as well as their long-ball ‘chip and charge’ tactics.
“We’re not used to playing like that.”
Italy are set to switch back to the side that defeated Belgium 2-0 and kept the shackles on Sweden’s Zlatan Ibrahimovic before Inter Milan striker Eder hit the winner in Toulouse last week.
In their opening two games, a formidable Juventus defence trio — Andrea Barzagli, Leonardo Bonucci and Chiellini — meant Buffon’s goal was impenetrable.
Deploying attacking midfielders Florenzi and Candreva as marauding wingbacks mean Italy can quickly revert to a five-man defence when needed.
Although Southampton striker Pelle failed to add to his goal against Belgium in a frustrating performance against Sweden, he should return to the starting line-up on Monday.
On paper, Spain hold all the aces.
In five previous encounters at major finals, including the Confederations Cup, Spain have prevailed three times for one loss and one draw.
Vicente del Bosque’s men notably routed Italy 4-0 in the Euro 2012 final, four years after winning in a quarter-final penalty shootout.
Spain are gunning for a record third consecutive European crown.
But they will also seek a lift less than a week after a morale-sapping 2-1 defeat to Croatia that robbed them of top spot in Group D and a potentially easier path to the final.
“We have to recover well,” Del Bosque said after a defeat that he admitted had given them a bigger challenge than anticipated. “It is not ideal.”
Follow us on Twitter @NatSportUAE
Like us on Facebook at facebook.com/TheNationalSport
