Munich , 2 July , 20:00 BST

5 years after Euro 2016



Belgium will get   revenge ?

I'm not used anymore to root against Lukaku , tough day

Italy are clear favourites from what I saw from Belgium

Belgium still got Mertens and Thorgan Hazard to give the ball to Lukaku so they still pose a legitimate threat to Italy inspite of De Bruynne and Eden Hazard.

Babun wrote:Italy are clear favourites from what I saw from Belgium

what happened to...

Babun wrote:I disagree, Italy isn't on the same page as the ones you mentioned. Also add Belgium and Portugal above.

El Gunner wrote:

Babun wrote:Italy are clear favourites from what I saw from Belgium

what happened to...

Babun wrote:I disagree, Italy isn't on the same page as the ones you mentioned. Also add Belgium and Portugal above.

I didn't pay lots of attention to Belgium, thought their midfield was average with outstanding attack. Their midfield was outright bad ( Portugal looked like Barca, Germany dominated that midfield with subpar Gündogan and Kroos), the defence average at best. Italy can completly cut off the supply to their forwards.

So are Hazard and KDB going to be injured for this?

For me it was Belgium 55% Italy 45%
But if It's true De Bruyne and Hazard are out, I change idea and Italy becomes as favorite
I hope they are on pitch though , I want to see best players

Robespierre wrote:For me it was Belgium 55% Italy 45%
But if It's true De Bruyne and Hazard are out, I change idea and Italy becomes as favorite
I hope they are on pitch though , I want to see best players

Agree with this.

De Bruyne looked well enough though, didn't seem seriously injured, Eden looks like a bigger doubt. I guess we will hear about it today.

I was reading some news that Mancini might rotate Barella and Berardi for Locatelli and Chiesa. Let's see

rincon wrote:

Robespierre wrote:For me it was Belgium 55% Italy 45%
But if It's true De Bruyne and Hazard are out, I change idea and Italy becomes as favorite
I hope they are on pitch though , I want to see best players

Agree with this.

De Bruyne looked well enough though, didn't seem seriously injured, Eden looks like a bigger doubt. I guess we will hear about it today.

I was reading some news that Mancini might rotate Barella and Berardi for Locatelli and Chiesa. Let's see

 
I'd approve this
Barella looks like the player tired of the last month in Serie A
Berardi for Chiesa... Well, whoever'd do it now
Perhaps Verratti should be replaced too, but I suppose he's doubts on changing 2 midfielders on 3

Easily the biggest challenge for Italy so far and where I predict it ends.

As technically capable as Italy are I see Martinez learning from what he can from the game vs Austria and pressure the midfield by isolating Jorginho and physically nullifying Verratti, should he play.

Belgium is a problem because they possess so much skill and then the problem of a fast and very strong Lukaku up-front, who is oozing with goalscoring confidence by now.

Barella is basically run down and has no energy left in him whereas Verrati is clearly unfit and the forwards beyond Immobile are just not looking to score beyond their creative displays.

Hazard may as well be injured but it would be foolish to expect de Bruyne not to recover by then as his injury indeed did not look serious.


Martinez is not 1/3rd of the coach Mancini is who basically can do it all so I hope adjustments will be made this week in studying a Belgium that dont exactly have a ground breaking system, but have a plethora of skill that can cause this untested Italia a LOT of problems.

I have to say, how Witsel is back and looking this good so quickly after a torn achilles is beyond belief.

I fancy Italy's chances given the likes of Vermaelen continue to start at the back for Belgium. Their backline is about as old as Italy's. Just less experienced at this end of the comp.

Vermaelen is actually a decent CB, no idea where he got his bad rep from

He's not well-regarded in Roma circles. Came here on high wages and spent the majority of his time either injured or making poor mistakes.

Surely the only competitive game in this stage of the euros?

Bummed about this. Should be the final.

BarrileteCosmico wrote:Surely the only competitive game in this stage of the euros?

You mean the only eye catching one on paper? Pretty sure the other ties would be as competitive as it can be.

I've read not-Italian ppl on twitter to be surprised about Italian players who sing so ardently their anthem

but it was not always this
and especially this " retrieved sense of patriotism" has historical roots

Indeed for all the 90s and half of 2000s Italian players never sang anthem.

And that aroused a wave of indignation by Italian medias
this wave of indignation created a change of attitude in the period following.

for example , Euro 2000 : the peak of agnosticism. Captain Paolo Maldini carries the mutist course.

Nesta in that video sexy bastard I do remember that and never thought clearly why they were so silent and only in 2006+ they began to sing louder.



https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5muGVKdJFV8


This one in particular I remember for some reason. Perotta, Gattuso stick out the most as even Buffon (who basically shouts it) was not even as loud here.

To be honest nothing is better than Inno di Mameli for me.

The way the crowd (and even opposition) seem to feel the vibe when its on and when they sing it along with the players of course, is infectious.

With our Spanish anthem we have to deal with an outdated morose hum where the crowd join in but the players fully silent.

At that time I remember that Lega Nord ( when it was a secessionist party, and not a nationalist party as now ) even proposed to change the Inno di Mameli with " Va' Pensiero " written by Giuseppe Verdi.  They disliked the Inno di Mameli , considered just  a quick march, while the other one was more istitutional. well, we aren't talkin' about big brains...

Anyway I like Inno di Mameli too, but I prefer that German and the French anthems.
Especially La Marseillaise honestly.
The French Anthem is the best anthem by far for me.
Honestly the only one reason because I'm sorry for France knocked out from Euro. I'll miss it

Va pensiero is an absolute masterpiece and baffled why Lega Nord would want to use it even for institutional reasons.

I agree on La Marseillaise as Russian anthem for me is among my favourites.

French national anthem is great. Italy not bad either

Perhaps an unpopular opinion i find russian/soviet anthem is average. From former USSR the Tajikistan got the best song maybe one day we hear it at the World Cup.

Yeah institutional reasons was for synthetizing, basically according to a part of public opinion,
( Lega Nord was one of most convinced on it . Real obsession. In fact Va Pensiero Is the anthem of Padania NT, NT that plays that tournament with other not recognized countries)  ,
Va' pensiero ( I agree it Is amazing though )  was mostly closer to the "pureness" of anthem , I mean much more an anthem than Inno di Mameli, definied as a quick march

A poll made in 1981 revealed that Italians would have preferred Va Pensiero more than Mameli

Anyway the old rejection Is the past, and not just for the fooftballers who sing it animously

It joins really , as an anthem should do indeed

Belgium is being severely underrated.

They will win tonight.

Fully behind Serie A brothers tonight.