A stress-free approach has inspired Italian renaissance
How significant Sunday’s confrontation in Warsaw will be in terms of Spain’s place in the pantheon is one of the most fascinating dimensions of what could be a match for the ages. When these two teams met in the opening round of the tournament three weeks ago in Gdansk, they offered a tasty entree. Football purists are salivating at the prospect of gorging on a football feast.
Spain’s progress to the final has come with mixed reviews. There have even been accusations they have become too predictable and, by insinuation, boring.
Former England striker Andy Cole, speaking on Setanta, suggested there was little wrong with Spain’s play. Rather it’s the way the opposition play. A period of trying to press the ball high, usually followed by exhaustion and, finally, a surrender of territory which means Spain face a wall of defenders as they approach the penalty area. If they can’t find a way through, they simply go back to Sergio Busquets, or Xabi Alonso, or Xavi, or Andres Iniesta, and start again. Increasingly, that makes for games of few chances, or limited goalmouth action. Which is where the rumblings of discontent come from.
Vicente del Bosque has rolled the dice by playing without a No.9 to try to draw defenders away from goal and create space in behind. At other times, Fernando Torres, or Alvaro Negredo, have been employed as conventional target men. Neither system has been especially successful in generating opportunities to score. Spain have controlled every game bar the semi-final, but only a poor Ireland team have been truly put to the sword. Are cracks in the armour starting to emerge?
That’s the question that will be answered at the Olympic Stadium in Kyiv by an Italian team riding a wave of momentum. Spain are the pass masters, but this Italian side are becoming worthy apprentices. Pirlo, of course, is the key – perhaps playing the best football of his career. Prandelli has surrounded the man know as ”l’architetto” (the architect) with players of pace, and energy, in the likes of Balotelli, Alessandro Diamanti, Claudio Marchisio, Christian Maggio, and Riccardo Montolivo. There is always someone in front of him and, behind him, de Rossi protects a back line that has barely lost a tackle, or a header, since the tournament began. At the age of 33, Pirlo finally has the freedom, and the opportunity, to claim a place in history. He was man of the match in the 2006 World Cup final. Now he has the stage of the second-biggest game in football to do it again.