The Final is Here

England vs Italy: EURO 2020 Final Preview

After 55 years of tournament drought, England will finally have the chance to win the European Title against Italy. The final will be played at Wembley, the home soil of England. Gareth Southgate has now led England to another showpiece – the final against Italy. The three lion’s squad is full of talent and depth, allowing Southgate to experiment and make all the changes he needs without worrying about individual talent. 

The burden of the semi-finals is now behind England after Harry Kane propelled them to victory after a rebound from his own saved penalty in extra time, securing the 2-1 lead over Denmark on Wembley and shooting the crowd into a wild wave of euphoria. 

Before the semi-final win, England secured the game against Ukraine in Rome without any doubts in the score and securing a crucial and iconic victory on Wembley against Germany in the round of 16. Before that, they had beat Croatia and the Czech Republic in the group stages to secure themselves the top spot. 

You won’t have missed it, but we just want to remind you…

The #ThreeLions will take on Italy in the #EURO2020 final on Sunday!pic.twitter.com/6meFsHlr0m

— England (@England) July 8, 2021

England can end the drought

Now, in their first-ever European Championship final, England has secured themselves a match against Roberto Mancini’s Italy. The Azzurri have gained tons of momentum after beating tough opponents like Belgium and Spain throughout the knockout stages of the tournament. Their 33-match undefeated run is surely something that should scare Gareth Southgate’s squad. The last time Italy was defeated was in September 2018. 

In terms of injury concerns, the only concern for England is Bukayo Saka, who had a great few games. He is still questionable for the game due to fitness concerns. Phil Foden also remains doubtful after picking up a foot injury in training. Italy is suffering the absence of Leonardo Spinazzola who will undergo Achilles surgery and is out of the tournament indefinitely. 

The boss of England, Southgate, is faced with several important decisions in terms of formation. He will have to decide whether to play 3 or 4 at the back. Whilst other key decisions ahead of him include the starting line-up as well as tactical questions needed to be answered to outperform a world class Italy side. 

After much emotion and anxiety, England is finally here in the final, at Wembley. Both teams have gained a solid amount of momentum heading into the final. Although, England is riding the wave of emotion, on paper Italy looks like the more disciplined team. However, the home crowd here is not to be excluded. Wembley will be roaring, with a 75% capacity crowd, which will surely add pressure to Italy. 

The big question ahead is: Is it “coming home” or is it “coming to Rome”. Stay tuned for the final on Sunday, 11th June at 8pm on BBC One.

We hope you enjoyed the article ‘England vs Italy: EURO 2020 Final Preview.’ What are your predictions for the finals? Can England finally bring it home after a 55 year wait, or will Mancini’s Azzurri appear too strong for Southgate’s Three Lions? Let us know!

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