Spain is on a historic mission in Sunday’s Euro 2012 final but runs into fearless Italians who have nothing to lose.
La Roja’s place in the Kiev final is the continuation of the way the team has dominated world football since winning Euro 2008 in Vienna.
Spain added the World Cup crown in 2010 and with a victory on Sunday will be the first to win three big titles in a row.
In this case it would also be the first repeat Euro champion and equal Germany’s record three titles overall at the continental tournament, Spain’s first title coming in 1964.
“We want to continue to put the quality of our work to a very high level,” Spain's Real Madrid defender Sergio Ramos said. “In fact, I would say to an unbeatable level, because nobody has achieved three titles in a row to date.
“We have the possibility to do it. It requires many years of work, humility and sacrifice. Spain has already achieved history, but of course this is not yet over and we want to win the cup.”
Prandelli’s stance
However, Italy will be no push-over, and, after having downplayed his side’s chances in its semifinal against Germany, coach Cesare Prandelli has changed his stance ahead of the decider.
“They are the world and European champions and they are an example to everyone. But we have grown and we should not fear them. We have to have the strength to face them with ideas and quality,” Prandelli said.
Prandelli, who took over from Marcello Lippi after a winless 2010 World Cup, is attempting to bring Italy its second Euro title after 1968.
Any ideas of changing his game plan to suit the Spanish style of play are likely to have been put to rest by Germany’s failure in the semifinal when Joachim Loew changed a successful style to take on the Italians and came up short in the 2-1 defeat.
Italy has never lost to Germany at Euro and the World Cup, and that officially is also the case against Spain, whose only success came on penalties in the 2008 quarterfinals, with such games counted as draws in the official books.
The two sides have already met in the group stage and played to an entertaining 1-1 draw, with Antonio di Natale the only man to have scored against Spain in the tournament.
Spain’s advancing to the final had been expected, in fact, the only thing surprising thing about its Euro campaign was coach Vicente del Bosque’s choice of strikers.
The 61-year-old coach played midfielder Cesc Fabregas upfront against Italy, reverted to Fernando Torres for the next two games, Fabregas again for the quarterfinal against France and pulled another surprise out of the hat for the semifinal against Portugal in the form of Alvaro Negredo.
Having taken Negredo off early in the second half, it seems likely that del Bosque will start with either Torres or Fabregas against Italy in the only change from the semifinal.
In goal, captain Iker Casillas needs just one more win to become the first player to achieve the milestone of 100 international wins.
In front of him Alvaro Arbeloa, Sergio Ramos, Gerard Pique and Jordi Alba form a defence that has not conceded a goal in nine consecutive knock-out matches at the Euros and the World Cup since 2006.
Xabi Alonso and Sergio Busquests will comprise the defensive midfield, while David Silva and Andres Iniesta feed Torres or Fabregas upfront.
Two strikers
Prandelli is likely to start with two strikers in Antonio Cassano and semifinal two-goal hero Mario Balotelli.
In midfield Claudio Marchiso, Andrea Pirlo, Antonio Nocerino and Riccardo Montolivo should get the nod, while in defence Giorgio Chiellini, Leonardo Bonucci and Federico Balzaretti seem certain.
Iganzio Abate, who was nursing an injury and missed the game against Germany, could return to the side for the final and push Andrea Barzagli onto the bench.
As goalkeeper Gianluigi Buffon captains the Azzurri, Sunday’s final will be the first time that two goalkeepers skipper their sides in a Euro final.
