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BERLIN (Reuters) – Italy rang the changes for their round of 16 game on Saturday, but it was the settled and confident Switzerland side who came out deservedly on top to knock the defending champions out of Euro 2024, proving as reliable as a Swiss watch this tournament.
Swiss coach Murat Yakin made only one change from the starting team which almost outfoxed Germany in their previous game before a late equaliser denied them top spot in the group, and even that change was unavoidable with Silvan Widmer suspended.
Ruben Vargas came in and, with the Swiss already 1-0 up, struck a beautiful shot into the top corner with less than 30 seconds gone after the break. It was no more than they deserved having completely outplayed Italy in the first half.
The Italians lacked any composure with so many passes going amiss, and after multiple changes to their starting lineup they failed to gel and were without a single shot on target in the opening half. Remo Freuler’s goal for the Swiss before the break did nothing to wake them from their slumber.
It was Vargas who put the cross in for Freuler’s goal, his recall by Yakin proving invaluable, and the minimum tinkering which the manager has kept to throughout this tournament paid off again.
Vargas had already started the first two games for Switzerland, and Yakin’s side against Italy included seven players who had played all three group games, a stark contrast to Spalletti who has failed to find his best team.
The Italian manager was forced into a couple of changes, with one of their few impressive players this tournament, Riccardo Calafiori, suspended, and Federico Dimarco struggling with an injury, but many of his decisions have led to chaos.
Six changes from the side which snatched a draw against Croatia to remain in Germany did nothing to improve things as Spalletti chose two players who had yet to play any part in the tournament, Stephan El Shaarawy and Gianluca Mancini.
Only four players have started all four Italy games, and one of those, defender Giovanni Di Lorenzo, has come in for enormous criticism with many Italian fans and media scratching their heads at how he has played every minute of the Euros.
Spalletti has a close relationship with Di Lorenzo, after the pair won the Serie A league title together with Napoli a year ago, and recently referred to him as being like a son for him, but his loyalty has not been repaid.
The Swiss had not beaten Italy since 1993, but they were confident they could finally get one over on their neighbours having drawn twice in the last World Cup qualifying group, with the Swiss reaching the finals, and the Italians failing again.
Italy, as they did against Croatia, tried to shake things up, sending on Mattia Zaccagni who had scored the late goal, and Mateo Retegui thrown on with Gianluca Scamacca still on the pitch, but the Swiss stuck to their shape and got their just rewards.
“Pace and freshness always makes the difference, I changed the players by letting them recover and maybe at the moment here we are not able to do more than this,” Spalletti said.
It has been a constant theme of Spalletti in Germany, complaining after the defeat to Spain about his players lack of energy, their tiredness, and yet somehow the Swiss players who have played much more, were the only side with spark in Berlin.
Switzerland also made the quarter-finals in Euro 2020, and only went out on penalties to Spain, having lost 3-0 to Italy in the group stage.
They now await the winner of England v Slovakia, and neither will look forward to taking on Yakin’s settled team, unbeaten in Germany and full of confidence. This win will convince the Swiss they can reach the semi finals of a major tournament for the first time.
(Reporting by Trevor Stynes; Editing by Toby Chopra)
