Switzerland vs Italy preview: 5 draws in the last 6 meetings, big PK defense, and the ability to grasp the forward line is key

Playing on the green field

2024-06-29 07:20

At 0:00 a.m. on June 30, Beijing time, the 1/8 finals of the European Cup knockout round began, with Switzerland playing against Italy. From this game, it should be said that the real European Cup has begun, except for a few teams such as Spain and Germany in the group stage, the rest of the games can only be said to be very dull and boring. Fans are expecting the teams in the knockout rounds to really get into the game.

Italy's path to qualifying for the group stage can be described as dangerous, but the result is good, they have avoided the top half of the dead zone with Germany, Spain, Portugal and Belgium and France, and moved to the bottom half of the group, and it can be said that in terms of strength, England is their biggest contender in terms of strength. The rest of the teams are within Italy's control, of course, this is only from the perspective of squad strength, and it remains to be seen what kind of results Italy can play.

Why is Italy's group stage very thrilling, they faced Albania, the weakest team in the group, in their first game, and allowed the opponent to score a goal in the opening game, but fortunately, the team overtook the score in stoppage time, this so-called group of death, Italy did not win happily. In the second round, facing Spain, which is in excellent form, Italy was completely suppressed, as the champion of the last European Cup, Italy was honestly not up to par with the performance, but due to the fact that many strong teams generally exist after the restructuring of the European Cup, Italy has not shown its full strength. In the final game against the experienced Croatia, Spalletti still chose a conservative tactic, Croatia who desperately needed to win the game took the lead, Italy almost fell into a desperate situation, although the third place in the group can also qualify, but if they lose to Croatia, their situation in the knockout stage may be much more serious. The extra-long stoppage time gave Italy the chance to become the focus of controversy after the game, but Italy's performance in this game was still subpar.

We know that after Roberto Mancini's departure, Spalletti took over the reins of the Italian national team, having achieved great results at Inter Milan and Napoli. Against a team that is not at the top of their game, the challenge is to bring out the best in the squad. The Italian defence was arguably good, with Donnarumma in the open and Darmian, Dimarco and Bastoni leading the backline. In midfield and attack, there are stars such as Jorginho, Barella, Frattesi, Scamacca, Chiesa Jr. and El Shaarawy, but after three group games, the Italian midfield looks a little weak.

Of course, the traditional strength of Italian football, a solid defence, is the key to their title race. Before the European Cup, Italy remained unbeaten in the last 7 games, with a solid defense, but the offensive end was slightly weak, and there were many low-score draws or small victories. Spalletti's task is to find the attacking and defensive balance and take the team far in the European Championships, and with the form of the group stage, it will be too difficult for Italy to defend their title.

Switzerland, on the other hand, showed their advantages in the group stage, beating Hungary 3-1 in the first round, but in the second leg against the in-form Scotland, Switzerland ended up drawing 1-1, and in the last game against a strong Germany, Switzerland also held their opponents to a 1-1 draw. Switzerland are in some ways like Italy, but few teams see Switzerland as favourites to win the title, as their overall quality only gives the impression that they are a serious spoiler rather than an absolute contender. But no team can afford to underestimate their presence.

Switzerland are being talked about by fans for their tenacious defence, reaching the quarter-finals of two consecutive European Championships and reaching the round of sixteen at the 2022 World Cup. In the 10 games leading up to the European Championships, Switzerland conceded just nine goals and showed an impregnable defence, keeping four clean sheets. Up front are AC Milan striker Okafor and experienced Shaqiri. Inter Milan goalkeeper Sommer, Manchester City defender Akanji and Newcastle United's Schal formed a solid backline, while Bayer Leverkusen's Xhaka and Monaco's Denis Zakaria cemented the midfield. Switzerland are unbeaten in their most recent friendlies, winning two and drawing two. Overall, Switzerland are a team that excels defensively, a trait that is especially important in key matches.

As we mentioned earlier, Italy and Switzerland are very similar in some ways, both teams are dominated by defensive counter-attacking tactics, and this defensive battle is more of a test of who can seize the opportunity on the offensive end, and maybe a lethal goal. The two teams have mostly played draws in the past, as many as 5 of the last 6 meetings have been draws, only in the last European Championship Italy won 3-0, and the rest of the stoppage time 0-0 is 1-1.

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