GDANSK, POLAND — Thank you Andrea Pirlo for ensuring a Euro 2012 semifinal stage that could go down as a classic.
Italy vs. Germany and Spain vs. Portugal are brimming with history, rivalry and revenge. These are intriguing penultimate matches that suddenly have made a Spain-Germany final not so certain, after all.
Spain eliminated Portugal en route to its World Cup victory two years ago, while Italy vanquished Germany at the semifinal stage — on German soil — on its way to the world title four years earlier.
That was then, but it certainly will be on both Portugal and Germany’s minds now.
Pirlo’s penenka in the penalty shootout victory over England on Sunday surprised Joe Hart and, perhaps best summed up the surprise that is Italy at this European Championship. Pirlo said his intention was not only to score but to disrupt England’s focus with his daring spot kick. It was a move of pure class on a physical and psychological level against an opponent prone to failure in this situation.
Cesare Prandelli’s Italy are playing with verve and flair and, although the goals haven’t exactly followed, only Germany can be said to have been more exciting to watch so far in Poland and Ukraine (although I give high marks to Greece for dramatics).
And it’s all been orchestrated by the cool and serene Pirlo, who has the Azzurri playing with a certain Spanish flare. Pirlo is the field general Xavi Hernandez was meant to be for Spain at Euro 2012.
Italy controlled 63 per cent of possession against England, completed 815 passes (nearly double the number of its opponent) and took 35 shots. Positively Spanish numbers.
So while Pirlo continues a revival spawned by his Juventus move, Xavi’s transition from Barcelona to the national team seems to have gone in the opposite direction. There is little of the trademark vision, little of those prodding passes, little of that field general that we see week-in, week-out providing pinpoint through balls and slicing flicks for Lionel Messi and company in the Spanish league. I am surprised that Xavi does not feel more freedom to roam forward with Sergio Busquets and Xabi Alonso backing him in midfield. Perhaps he has been told not to.
We expect such show from Spain, it’s funny we should get it from Prandelli’s men. But while Spain has been called boring by some, against France they showed the maturity, discipline and patience that has transformed them from European champions into world champions.
At Euro 2008, La Roja surprised the field with their rampant attack, and opponents have prepared accordingly ever since. Thus, one cannot fault Spain for adapting itself, for sitting back and soaking up possession, biding its time and looking to strike when the opportunity presents. It would be easy to let nerves creep in, but Spain never do. They are absolutely convinced that the system works, that more passing and patience will ultimately yield the necessary goal. The Spanish have also added this unorthodox six-man midfield, roving forward, to the mix.
Portugal, however, will not make it easy for their Iberian neighbour, especially with all the bad blood between the Portuguese and Spanish players in recent years at a club level.
The game presents an intriguing matchup with a combined eight Real Madrid players spread across the teams. All the talk of how the Barcelona-Real rivalry would affect Spain can now give way to questions of how the Spain-Portugal rivalry may affect Real. Cristiano Ronaldo, Pepe and Fabio Coentrao will be prepared for Spain’s six-man midfield attack, as they suit up against it every time they play Barcelona. Which has been often.
Portugal will be more dogged and physical, and pressure with much more intensity than the French as they look to unsettle Spain’s passing game. It will be a tense, even bitter affair and Spain will not be afforded the luxuries that France provided it with, namely time to make decisions.
Germany would likely have preferred to meet England, which limped out of the tournament. I don’t expect Italy to back off against the Germans, they certainly didn’t against the Spanish. And maybe if Antonio Cassano or Mario Balotelli come good, they can spring a surprise.
But Spain and Germany remain favourites, just slightly, to meet in the final on July 1 in Kiev.
Paul Logothetis is a Madrid-based reporter who is in Poland and Ukraine covering Euro 2012 for sportsnet.ca. Follow Paul on Twitter.