First sensation at Euro-2024: the Italians, defending champions, were logically eliminated (2-0) by Switzerland in the round of 16 in Berlin on Saturday, while Germany is holding its breath for its Mannschaft against Denmark in Dortmund.
With Italy eliminated, it is one of the great nations of European football, four world champion titles (1934, 1938, 1982 and 2006) and two continental titles (1968 and 2021) to its name, which leaves the competition. Switzerland, for its part, reaches the European top 8 for the second consecutive time after knocking out France, the reigning world champion at the time, in 2021.
European champion in the summer of 2021, Italy arrived in Germany in mid-June on tiptoe, having slipped through a mouse hole during the qualifying phase at the end of 2023.
Italian goalkeeper Gianluigi Donnarumma after the elimination against Switzerland, June 29, 2024 in Berlin / Ronny HARTMANN / AFP
Luciano Spalletti’s Nazionale miraculously emerged from the first round of Euro 2024, snatching their ticket to the knockout stage in the final seconds of the match against Croatia with an equaliser (1-1) from Mattia Zaccagni.
On Saturday, at the Olympiastadion in Berlin, which will host the final on July 14, Gianlugi Donnarumma’s teammates were dominated by a Swiss team that had already impressed in the first round, after having notably held their own against Germany (1-1).
Vargas’ jewel
Remo Freuler opened the scoring after a great combination with Dan Ndoye and Ruben Vargas in the first half. Less than a minute after returning from the locker room, Vargas doubled the lead for the Swiss Nati with a superb curling shot.
Ruben Vargas (l) scores the second Swiss goal against Italy, June 29, 2024 in Berlin / JOHN MACDOUGALL / AFP
Switzerland, who have never reached the last four of a major competition, will face in the quarter-finals the winner of the round of 16 between England, cited among the favourites for the Euro but faltering since their entry into the competition, and Slovakia, scheduled for Gelsenkirchen on Sunday (6:00 p.m.).
The quarter-finals of a major competition, Germany has not participated in it since Euro-2016 in France and a defeat (2-0) against the host country in Marseille. Since then, the Mannschaft has suffered a series of disappointments in the World Cup (eliminations in the first round in 2018 and 2022) and at the Euro in 2021 (ending in the round of 16 against England).
Exciting in the first two matches of « son » Euro-2024 at home against a very weak Scottish team (5-1) and a more dangerous Hungary (2-0), she experienced her first free warning against Switzerland, snatching the draw in added time ( 1-1) to retain first place.
“It’s good to win all these group matches 3-0, it can give you confidence, but in the end, it’s important for the team to have had to manage difficult situations”underlined coach Julian Nagelsmann at a press conference the day before the match.
Maintaining the enthusiasm in Germany
The pressure, which was already high when they played the opening match against the Scots in Munich, takes on a new dimension for this round of 16, and a large part of the country is preparing to hold its breath.
German coach Julian Nagelsmann during a training session on June 28, 2024 in Herzogenaurach / Tobias SCHWARZ / AFP
“Only a victory will allow the German Federation’s decision to hire Julian Nagelsmann to be considered a success.” as a coach, estimates the Munich daily Süddeutsche Zeitung in its weekend edition.
The excitement in Germany behind Ilkay Gündogan’s teammates is back, but hopes for a new summer fairy tale, like the « Summer Fairytale » 2006 (World Cup at home and long-term adventure up to the semi-finals) would turn into a nightmare in the event of an early exit.
The Germans will face a well-established Danish team, who have conceded only two goals since the start of the Euro, but have also scored only two. “I consider Germany one of the favorites for the title, it’s just a shame for them that they are facing us on Saturday”Danish coach Kasper Hjulmand mischievously said.
