Match Report: Spain-Italy EURO Under 21 Final

Spain retained their European crown with a resounding 4-2 win over Italy, thanks to a perfect hat-trick from captain Thiago Alcantará and an Isco penalty, despite a valiant effort from the Italians, they were able to stop the proverbial bull in a China shop, which is Spain regarding trophies.

Spain celebrate their opening goal.

Both teams went into the final having not conceded a single goal from open play, with Spain having not conceded a goal what so ever. The two also finished comfortably top of their respective groups, and have been easily the best teams in the tournament. Strong all over the pitch, most countries around the world have looked on enviously at the class on show, with most of the players being linked away with moves to larger clubs. 

The main talking point before the game was Morata coming in for Rodrigo, the latter having a quiet tournament, but scoring in the semi-final and having scored fourteen goals in the twelve games leading up to the Euro's. However, Morata had scored four in his four games in the tournament, and Lopetegui opted for the Real Madrid man.

The Spanish started off brighter, with their tiki-taka style putting plenty of pressure on the Italian defence, with their resistance being tested from the start, it was Spain who drew first blood. Lopetegui's choice was more than justified as Morata cut back for Thiago who had the simplest of tasks to head home into an open goal after just six minutes. The Spanish pressure was mighty, and while they continued to press, a long ball up field from Donati was perfectly controlled by Immobile and his finish matched the pass and control as he chipped De Gea. He and Spain conceded their first goal of the tournament and the lead was gone after just three minutes.

Normal service was quickly resumed, as Bardi was forced into two good saves from Morata and then further from Koké. Despite the early warning, Spain always looked vulnerable on the counter, with De Gea forced into a good save after some excellent work by Florenzi. Equally, it took some desperate defending from the Italians to keep the Spanish quiet, but it would only last so long, as Koké played an inch perfect pass to the Spanish captain who chested down and hammered home, Bardi unlucky not to stop it, but the power got Thiago his brace.

The onslaught continued, and they soon had a penalty, Tello outpacing Donati and Thiago had the chance for his hat-trick, could he take it? Of course he could, Thiago completed his thirty-eight minute hat-trick, Bardi got something on it again, but not enough. Not only was it a hat-trick, a perfect hat-trick at that, with the Manchester United target adding an extra million or two to that price-tag. The dominance continued up until the half time whistle, as Italy looked for a glimmer of hope from the fifteen minutes of respite they'd have from the Spanish attack.

Thiago seals his hat-trick.

Different half, same story, with captain Alcantará testing Bardi once again, Italy came out with a fighting spirit but just couldn't find the clear cut chance that they needed, with Florenzi and Insigne blasting over when they had decent opportunities. The game fell into a lull with almost nothing happening, then in the sixty-third minute, the got the chance for their fourth Regini committing the foul on Montoya after a lovely bit of skill, the duties were left to Isco and he dully put away the penalty, sending Bardi the wrong way.

After this the game was essentially a non-contest, the Spaniards happy to keep the ball and chances for Italy few and far between. Bardi continued to keep the score down, with some vital saves, as Morata saw chance after chance go a miss, then a came pitch invasion, which everyone apart from Italy found rather amusing.

Hope for Italy though as they were rewarded with a great goal from Borini, after an exchange with Insigne he blasted home from twenty yards into De Gea's left-hand corner, despite having ten minutes left to try and create a nervy finish, they couldn't get another chance at goal and Spain were champions of Europe yet again, with the under 20 squad favourites for their World Cup, as Spain look set to continue their world domination.