15 minute read
EURO 2020 RECAP
EURO 2020 ‘THIS ITALY TEAM WILL BE TALKED ABOUT FOR GENERATIONS TO COME’
his stunning brace during Italy’s resounding 3-0 victory over Switzerland. The young midfielder was already well known to Serie A fans, but his man of the match performance thrust him into the limelight and sparked interest from clubs across Europe. Interestingly, Atalanta’s Matteo Pessina ended up being the decisive factor in the Azzurri’s final group game against Wales. He wasn’t initially on the first-choice list and was only added following Stefano Sensi’s injury on June 7. By the time they took on Austria in the round of 16, Italy had already written their name into European Championship history by becoming just the fifth side to go through the group stage without conceding a goal. England would match that feat two days later, but the Three Lions only scored twice themselves compared to the Azzurri’s haul of seven. Finally, people were starting to take notice of an Azzurri team who still maintained their staunchly defensive origins, but were also fearsome in attack. In scenes reminiscent of the 2006 World Cup when two late goals were enough to sink Germany in extra time of their semi-final clash, Italy showed great mettle to dig deep and finally break down a very stubborn and resilient Austria side. Mancini also showed significant tactical nous with two key changes in the second half, bringing on Pessina and Federico Chiesa. Fresh from a solid debut season with Juventus, Chiesa finally broke the deadlock in extra time, followed by Pessina 10 minutes later. Although Austria would end Italy’s 19-hour world record for not conceding a goal soon after, the Azzurri hung on to set up a mouth-watering clash against Belgium. It was their impressive defeat of the Belgians in the quarter-finals that solidified Italy’s position as contenders for the Euro title. Despite Romelu Lukaku clawing one back, earlier strikes from Nicolo Barella and Insigne were enough to book a tantalising rematch against Spain in the semis. Switzerland had done everyone else a huge favour by beating France on penalties in the round of 16, before they themselves were knocked out in a shootout
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ABOVE: Italy celebrate winning the finals after the penalty shootout
BELOW: Gianluigi Donnarumma was the hero for Italy in the penalty shootout against England After Italy ended a 53-year wait to taste European glory, Michelle Osei Bonsu recalls how the Azzurri dominated Euro 2020 from start to finish
The European Championship began with a bang thanks to the tournament opener featuring Italy and Turkey. After a scoreless first half, the Crescent Stars began to crumble. This was shown by Merih Derimal’s own goal in the 53rd minute, followed by Ciro Immobile and Lorenzo Insigne both opening their accounts as the Azzurri quickly took control. The stage was set for what was to come. During their second match against Switzerland, Italy were at their very best again. Despite the Rossocrociati attempting to block channels and frustrate their hosts with a very conservative, defensive approach, Manuel Locatelli’s brace and Immobile’s goal were enough to give the Azzurri all three points. The win came at a cost though, as captain Giorgio Chiellini hobbled o injured. Already into the round of 16 with a game to spare, Roberto Mancini wisely rotated his squad in the last group game against Wales. Impressively, a team made up of largely second-string players managed to shackle Gareth Bale and co, as Gianluigi Donnarumma became the youngest goalkeeper to keep three consecutive clean sheets at the European Championship. Austria proved to be a much tougher foe than the Azzurri had expected in the last 16, but two key switches in the second half proved a masterstroke. Prior to this, Federico Chiesa hadn’t had much of an impact, but he took little time in finally making his mark. His goal in extra time gave Italy the breakthrough they needed and was followed by Matteo Pessina’s second. Despite some nervy moments late on, Italy were into the quarter-finals. In the face of such a tough task against the world’s top-ranked team, Italy looked confident and assured throughout. Belgium’s previous win over Portugal was hardly convincing, and with injuries to Eden Hazard and Kevin De Bruyne, the Azzurri showed no signs of intimidation. A strong first-half performance and a measured approach to the second period set up an intriguing semi-final clash with rivals Spain. La Roja had shown flashes of brilliance, notably putting five past both Slovakia and Croatia, but Italy were more than up to the task. They didn’t let Alvaro Morata’s answer to Chiesa’s 60thminute goal ru e their feathers, and both Donnarumma and Jorginho played their parts in getting Mancini’s men to their first Euro final since losing 4-0 to Spain in 2012. In the final, the Azzurri showed great fortitude and composure to eventually take down an England side who’d grown throughout the tournament. Like Italy, the Three Lions had been solid at the back, and were under immense pressure to end their 55-year wait for a major title. The Azzurri emerged victorious after a tense penalty shootout, as the European Championship went to Rome.
against Spain. This meant Italy would avoid having to play both tournament favourites en route to the final. The Azzurri’s victory over Spain on penalties was cathartic for Italian fans, many of whom remembered the painful 4-0 humiliation the team su ered at the hands of La Roja in the Euro 2012 final. Players like Leonardo Bonucci and Giorgio Chiellini were part of the team on that dark day, and after meeting Spain in a fourth consecutive European Championship, Italy exacted the revenge they’d been seeking. They also set yet another record, this time for the most games unbeaten at the Euros, encompassing both qualifying and the tournament proper. Finally, on a 16-match unbeaten streak, Italy arrived at the Wembley showpiece on July 11 full of confidence. Against a very hostile and largely English crowd, a goal from an unlikely source in Bonucci balanced the scores following Luke Shaw’s early e ort. Showing no signs of fatigue after their gruelling encounter with Spain just days before, Italy managed to strangle England’s attack, nullifying the likes of Harry Kane and Raheem Sterling to set up another tense shootout. It was goalkeeper Gianluigi Donnarumma who proved to be the hero on the night. The 22-year-old put in a monstrous performance to save e orts from Jadon Sancho and Bukayo Saka. Italy would have their first European triumph in 53 years, while completely banishing the demons of their humiliating World Cup failure just four years ago. Paying supporters inside stadiums could forget about being kept in the loop. This is in part down to UEFA and their technologies and systems, but also the link to and role played by local television directors, and the integration they got with the VAR hub at UEFA’s headquarters in Nyon, Switzerland. This has also been an issue in UEFA’s flagship club competition, the Champions League, since the introduction of VAR in 2019, and only exacerbated by the pandemic. It needs sorting out though, as the viewing experience can feel a little cloak and dagger at times. That said, the speed of VAR interventions is improving, helped by the light touch approach. If a call wasn’t clear and obvious at the Euros, the referee’s initial decision was allowed to stand. Leagues like the English Premier League slow down replays to micro-analyse whether the slightest contact has been made, then give the on-field referee a super slow-mo view of an incident to reconsider their decision. The problem with this is that football isn’t played in slow motion. It’s a fast-paced, contact sport. Yes, we must clamp down on cheats who simulate contact in order to con referees. But there’s a fine line between diving and being put o balance. Sometimes referees just need to be allowed to use their discretion and receive some backing that they’ve not made a howler. This appeared to be the approach at the Euros, and it worked. Referees can’t get everything right, but neither can video referees. The danger we’ve seen with VAR is that decisions are re-refereed from afar in real time, removing the on-field o cials’ feel for the game. And with every decision that’s debated by the VAR, reviewed and referred, the game is slowed down and destroyed as a spectacle. VAR should be a safety net to guard against major injustices. We went too far the other way, but these Euros seem to have redressed the balance. We’re in the midst of a process, and we must learn from the mistakes we’ve made. VAR is constantly evolving and it’s going to take time to hone the system and protocols to something that’s more universally accepted. The Premier League, for example, has listened to players, fans and pundits alike and will use thicker lines to judge o side calls from next season. It could learn from the Euros and deploy a specialist VAR o cial to be all over any potential o sides in the build-up to goals and penalties. This would reduce the time it takes for decisions to be made. During the group stage of Euro 2020, VAR interventions took an average of around 100 seconds, the lowest of any UEFA competition. That figure took some 30 seconds o the time it took for interventions in last season’s Europa League, for example. The light touch approach is also shown by the fact there were only 98 cards in the group stage, compared to 129 at Euro 2016. Despite having VAR this summer, the time the ball was in play rose by more than two minutes from the showpiece five years ago. In total, VAR overturned 18 calls at Euro 2020. Of those, eight were decisions reversed by the on-field referee using the monitor at the side of the pitch. Some 276 incidents were checked in all, which means only 6.5% were overturned. And that’s how it should be. The goal for VAR is for the technology to be helpful, rather than taking centre stage. Another aid for o cials to use. The technology itself is good, the issue is with the humans using it. As we continue to evolve and adapt, we can only hope we learn from our experiences to improve the entire process.
ABOVE: Cristiano Ronaldo won the Golden Boot after scoring five goals in four games for Portugal
LEFT: Romelu Lukaku was unable to prevent Belgium going down 2-1 to Italy
RIGHT: English referee Anthony Taylor was exemplary with his handling of Christian Eriksen’s collapse
EURO FEST
UEFA EURO 2020 RECAP
LEFT: Italy combined class with an unquenchable winning mentality to deservedly win Euro 2020
RIGHT: Following Christian Eriksen’s cardiac arrest, Denmark showed incredible quality and resilience to reach the semifinals
BOTTOM: Christian Eriksen worried the world when he su ered from his injury.
t happened a year later than planned,
Ibut Euro 2020 was most definitely worth the wait. A unique tournament staged at 11 venues right across the continent at varying degrees of capacity, it captured the imagination through sheer entertainment and unpredictability, with high-quality football on show throughout and numerous records tumbling on the way to Italy’s eventual triumph. There was hardly a dull game to speak of as most teams went at each other punch for punch and often had to go the full distance in order to be separated, but in the end it was the best and most resilient side of all that still emerged on top. Back from the international wilderness of embarrassingly failing to qualify for the 2018 World Cup, Italy were seen as dark horses by many, but that status quickly changed to serious contenders from the moment they got the competition underway with a stylish dismantling of Turkey. From there, they hardly put a foot wrong and although questions were frequently asked of them during the knockout stages, a collective determination and immense mental fortitude carried them all the way. Indeed, the competition as a whole was one that rewarded such strength of character. Nothing epitomised that more than Denmark,
who were rocked by talisman Christian Eriksen’s sickening cardiac arrest and looked set for an early exit, only to regroup and produce a series of inspired performances which led them to the semi-finals. Elsewhere, England defied persistent concerns about their defence and holding midfield options by not conceding from open play en route to finishing as runners-up, while we also saw some unlikely comebacks and the odd notable upset. From a tactical perspective, the most successful formation was 4-3-3, a system favoured by three of the four semi-finalists. In each case, the emphasis was on slick passing and controlling the tempo, which brought extra responsibility upon the three in midfield, where one would sit and allow the others more freedom to move into advanced positions. Italy used Jorginho as their lynchpin to great e ect, much of Denmark’s good play came through the industrious Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg, and Barcelona starlet Pedri was named Young Player of the Tournament after gracing Spain with his outstanding passing ability. What was so eye-catching about Italy’s successful side is that their style of play was a departure from the methodical, counterattacking approach of many years gone by, with coach Roberto Mancini striking the perfect balance throughout the team and winning countless admirers in the process. In England, meanwhile, there was also a lot of discussion about Gareth Southgate and his decision making. Critics often questioned his team selections or accused his tactics of being too negative, but each time they were proved wrong as Southgate guided the Three Lions to the final where they only succumbed to a penalty shootout. For all the teams at the finals, the ability to make up to five substitutions in normal time added an extra strategic element to the mix. Although this rule had the potential to slow games down - the marathon last-16 clash between Sweden and Ukraine immediately springs to mind - the broader range of options it provided was a valuable tool in every coach’s armoury, as the timing of each change could sometimes make all the di erence. Looking back on the pre-tournament build-up, several nations were tipped to be in with a chance of winning it, but there were two clear front-runners. Boasting a squad of infinite quality, World Cup winners France were highly fancied to add a third Euro crown to their trophy cabinet. Meanwhile, the world’s top-ranked side Belgium were aiming for their long-awaited first major tournament victory. However, both would end up crashing out earlier than expected. France were in Group F, which had immediately caught everyone’s attention as soon as the draw was made, for it pitted them against perennial challengers Germany, defending
ABOVE: Although questions were asked during the knockout stages, a determination and immense mental fortitude carried Italy all the way.
RIGHT: Italy changed their style of play from defensive to o ensive and it paid o
TOP RIGHT: Leonardo Bonucci (2-R) of Italy scores an o side goal during the UEFA EURO 2020 quarter final match between Belgium and Italy
FAR MIDDLE: Dutch player Matthijs de Ligt leaves the pitch after receiving a red card during the UEFA EURO 2020 round of 16 match between the Netherlands and Czech Republic
BOTTOM RIGHT: Danny Makkelie awarded England a penalty for a foul on Raheem Sterling, which was allowed to stand by VAR
FIVE BIG VAR DECISIONS ANALYSED
At Euro 2020, 18 decisions were overturned by VAR. Here we take a look at five of the biggest VAR calls, providing a rating for how well VAR performed.
BELGIUM 1-2 ITALY, BONUCCI OFFSIDE - VAR 7/10 Italy defender Leonardo Bonucci saw a goal ruled out for o side in the 13th minute. He was a yard o and VAR did its job relatively quickly, but it took 10 minutes for fans watching at home to be shown an image of what the VAR based their decision on.
SWEDEN 1-2 UKRAINE, DANIELSSON RED CARD - VAR 6/10 Italian referee Daniele Orsato initially showed Sweden’s Marcus Danielsson a yellow card for his challenge on Artem Besedin, but the VAR advised him to take another look on the pitch-side monitor. Slowed right down, the studs-up challenge looked worse than at full speed and the ref upgraded to a red.
NETHERLANDS 0-2 CZECH REPUBLIC, DE LIGT RED CARD - VAR 9/10 Matthijs de Ligt rightly received a red card for his rash handball early in the second half of this last-16 tie. VAR worked well in this instance after the referee missed the Dutch centre-back’s infringement, but the review took too long for such a clear and obvious decision.
CROATIA 1-1 CZECH REPUBLIC, LOVREN PENALTY - VAR 4/10 Another VAR decision to go the Czech Republic’s way saw Dejan Lovren punished for what was judged to be an arm or elbow to the face of Patrik Schick. Both players were challenging for a high ball, and after the referee failed to punish Lovren in real time, there was little need for a VAR review and sending the ref to the monitor.
ENGLAND 2-1 DENMARK, STERLING PENALTY - VAR 10/10 This moment proved controversial as it saw the much-loved Danes go out at the hands of England. Raheem Sterling was accused of going to ground easily, but the replays failed to show any evidence of diving, and the penalty award stood. You may not agree with soft penalties being given, but it’s not VAR’s job to interfere with those kind of judgement calls.
