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. 

Youth Report: Gerard Deulofeu.

"Neymar, Deulofeu and Messi. That's how the world's top 3 players will be in the next few years. IF Deulofeu can keep his head down and work." Guillem Balague explained this to me at one of his book promotions. 

Though it is not just Guillem, many worldwide renown journalists have tipped Deulofeu to be the next Lionel Messi.

High praise indeed for such a young man, at just 18 years of age. 

Many may think that he's just another over-hyped youngster from Barcelona's world famous La Masia, but my friends if you are one of those, you are wholly mistaken. He has already been a major part of Spain's recent youth success and is beginning to make sporadic appearances for the first team, mainly in the Champions league. Convinced now?

 For me, along with Vitkor Fischer and a few others, Deulofeu is one of the biggest talents in the world. His mesmerising and devilishly direct dribbling style has everyone watching constantly on the edge of their seats. It's not just his dribbling though, the young Spaniard has improved his finishing greatly, so much so that he has eclipsed his career goal tally after just 22 games this year, netting 13 times. Already rumoured to be linked with Liverpool and many other clubs around Europe, I doubt it will be much longer until Barcelona put a ridiculous buy-out clause in his contract as his stock has risen considerably this year, especially due to his ability to play across the front 3 make him even more desirable. His impact for Spain at all youth levels has been impressive, but none more so than for the Under 21's, where he has scored 3 times in 5 games, a better ratio than at all other levels and it surely won't be long before he gets a first team call-up. Not to mention his assists (I don't have the stats sadly), but there is an unbelievable one. (see below) It's not just on the odd occasion, Deulofeu does this a lot, his dribbling is just, wow.

The only thing that could beat Deulofeu, will be himself. Many people believe that being so young, with all the Messi comparisons and expectations to do well may lead the young man to go off course and loose track of his goals. Another place where he lacks is when he doesn't have the ball for long periods, he can be invisible and then once he gets the ball can be ineffective and lose interest in the game completely. However, if involved from the start, his skill and guile can bamboozle and win his team games with a moment of magic.

So, where do I think he'll end up?

Leading Barcelona's frontline and scaring defences for years to come, of course. This young man has all the talent in the world, and some. For me, he will be one of the world's best players, he is far too good not to be. I can't wait until he properly breaks through into the Barcelona first team and proves to everyone what he can do. Honestly, if you can catch any Barca B games they are well worth a watch, mainly because of Deulofeu. If he can keep his head, he will without doubt become a world beater and if he continues to improve at all aspects, he too will have a buy-out clause similar to Messi's.

Hope you all enjoyed!

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