Gianluigi Donnarumma has reprised his role as European Championship hero for Italy as he leads the uncertain holders into their Euro 2024 last 16 clash with Switzerland.
Named player of the tournament at the last Euros, Donnarumma has a decent claim to have been the best player of this year’s group stage in Germany, pulling off save after save as the Italians stumbled towards qualification from Group B. The Azzurri skipper’s last-gasp save stopped Rey Manaj snatching an undeserved draw for Albania in Italy’s opening match, a 2-1 win which was crucial to the champions getting out of the group.
Donnarumma then made sure that Spain didn’t beat Italy by a cricket score in a humbling 1-0 defeat and starred again in the dramatic 1-1 draw with Croatia which his team were losing until the final few seconds of stoppage time. The 25-year-old pulled off a couple of miracle stops before Luka Modric finally forced Croatia into the lead, just moments after the Real Madrid midfielder watched Donnarumma save his penalty.
And the giant ‘keeper’s ability at stopping spot-kicks will be a huge plus in the knockouts, especially for a team which has trouble creating chances, much less putting them away. Donnarumma’s top-drawer performances in Germany comes after criticism over the past season with Paris Saint-Germain, but he is revelling in leading Italy at a major tournament after coach Luciano Spalletti resisted calls to replace him with Tottenham Hotspur’s Guglielmo Vicario.
“It’s difficult to explain what it means to wear this shirt, come here and know that 60 million Italians are watching at home,” said Donnarumma before the Croatia match. “It means even more when you’re wearing the captain’s armband.”
No Calafiori
Donnarumma will be of even more importance on Saturday due to the absence of centre-back Riccardo Calafiori, whose ability to bring the ball out of defence was key to Mattia Zaccagni’s crucial equaliser against Croatia. Calafiori is suspended for picking up a second booking of the group phase against Croatia, meaning that one of Gianluca Mancini or Alessandro Buongiorno could take his place in the heart of Italy defence.
At 28, and with 12 caps, Roma defender Mancini is the more senior defender but Buongiorno’s style of play and defending better replicates Calafiori as Mancini is more of a traditional, hard-nosed centre-back. “I don’t know if I’m going to play, all I can do is give my best in training and make the coach’s decision as difficult as possible,” said Buongiorno on Thursday.
Italy have also benefitted from being on the opposite side of the knockout draw to most of the big hitters, with only raggedy pair England and the Netherlands among the tournament heavyweights they could meet before the final. However based on their performances so far at this Euros Italy won’t strike fear into the heart of anyone, even if the Azzurri have a remarkable ability to drag themselves into contention no matter how difficult the circumstances.
“We’ve realised that there are no easy games. You can see these big teams struggle with their style of play and getting results,” added Buongiorno. “Having seen their matches tells us that we can’t underestimate anyone, because every team is good and can hurt you if you’re not at your best.” Italy will face either Slovakia or England, vanquished finalists three years ago, in Duesseldorf a week on Saturday if they see off the Swiss.
