Euro 2020 – Italy crushes Turkey when it enters!

The reborn Italy, which Roberto Mancini rebuilt three years ago on the ruins of a failed qualification for the 2018 World Cup and which shocked an entire generation of Azzurri supporters, kept its promise to win in its own way: with the enthusiasm of sole captain Giorgio Chiellini not hesitating to attack, play and score.

Turkey’s Senol Güns, the best defense in the qualifiers (with Belgium, 3 goals), was nevertheless a real trap, but was undoubtedly punished for the lack of ambition in the match, obviously coming to Roma to try to keep a point. The tactic worked for 45 minutes, but the Turkish defense cracked when they came back from the locker room, and one of the Serie A players betrayed it, Merih Demiral: The Juventus defender deceived his goalkeeper and released the Italian fans (53rd place).

Berardi in every shot

Italy, also liberated, went out with Cerro Immobile (66th place), scoring his first goal in this Olympic stadium that he attends at the club with Lazio., then with Lorenzo Insigne (79). On these three goals, it was the sign of Domenico Berardi, the Sassuolo winger, who was the real bomber for Italy, which scored for the first time three goals in the Euro. The evening is perfect for Roberto Mancini: his three strikers were full of confidence by scoring, his defense did not score any goals in 9 consecutive games (scored 28 goals!) and Italy is still in 28 games unbeaten.

This is a great way to start the Euros as Italy arrives with a desire to test its ambitions, after qualifying without a false note (ten wins in ten matches) but few matches against the major nations to measure itself. With an unsurprising combination, and thus without Marco Verratti, still in recovery after injuring his knee in May, Italy quickly took possession of the match. This was the expected scenario: the Turks huddled in the back, facing the Italian masters of ball and trying to find a gap in the mouse to pass.

Berardi, who preferred Federico Chiesa over the winger at the start of the tournament, showed himself from the start: a superb pass by Lorenzo Insigne that the Napoli striker (18th) did not convert, taking his position not from the head again but a little along with Ciro Immobile (33rd).

no penalty

Captain Chiellini, so high in a midfield pass, in the role of the almost absent Verratti, has spared no effort for what may be his last championship. He could even end the match with a header, but found the gloves of Turkish goalkeeper Ogurkan Kakir (22). Just before the break, the Italians, in vain despite the intervention of the VAR and Bronca from Olympico, demanded a penalty kick on the heart of Leonardo Spinzola that touched Zeki Celik’s outstretched arm. But the referee did not reverse his decision.

And Turkey in all of this? Gianluigi Donnarumma had nothing to do but block a dangerous cross from Burak Yilmaz (35th place) and then an attempt by Cengiz Under against (51), after entering play at the end of the first half. Hakan Calhanoglu, for his part, complained about his defense that tends to swing a lot without trying to build. Once Italy passed, Turkey tried to strike back but without the means to stay against such a team, confidently determined not to give up. Berardi, Chiellini and the others can go and pick up the fans’ congratulations with their sense of duty: Italy is back well.