The holders were meekly disposed of by Switzerland in the last 16 and now a root-and-branch review is required Berlin, the city where they won a World Cup in 2006, has a special place in Italy’s footballing imagination. The prospect of returning for a last-16 tie at Euro 2024 was so thrilling it caused one commentator to trip over his tongue. Fabio Caressa, whose breathless repetition of “goal by [Fabio] Grosso!” became almost as iconic as that player’s semi-final strike 18 years ago, spluttered for a moment after Mattia Zaccagni’s equaliser against Croatia on Monday and briefly was unable to speak. Caressa had no such trouble finding his words, on Saturday night, after the Azzurri were eliminated by a 2-0 defeat to Switzerland. “The way we played tonight was unacceptable,” said Caressa during a post-match discussion on the Italian broadcaster Sky Sport. “We have to be able to say that. This match was unwatchable … this is not the level of our national team.” Continue reading...

In hindsight – and really, only in hindsight – this was how it was always going to end. We still believed, and they still believed, because this was Italy, and for all their foibles and frailties, that name and that crown still count for something. But scarcely can a crown have weighed more heavily. The defending champions are out, and most crushingly they barely threw a punch in the process. By the end, perhaps the most damning indictment of Luciano Spalletti’s team was that it didn’t even feel like a shock. Switzerland were not just better but braver, not just quicker but slicker, squeezing Italy’s weak spots with a sadistic relish, Remo Freuler and Ruben Vargas with the goals either side of half-time. Italy were overwhelmed for the first hour of this game, and by the last half-hour, when they were finally able to string a few passes together, who cared? Continue reading...

Manager has several team choices to make for Switzerland tie after uncertain group-stage campaign To watch Luciano Spalletti speak at the end of Italy’s draw against Croatia felt like being pitched into an alternate timeline. Outside, on the pitch at Leipzig Stadium, there had been joy and relief for the Azzurri after Mattia Zaccagni’s 98th-minute equaliser secured progress to Euro 2024’s knockout phase. Inside, at the press conference, there was the sort of prickly postmortem you might expect after early elimination. In a series of monologues, Spalletti railed against perceived critics. When one journalist, Dario Ricci, asked whether the decision to change formation to a 3-5-2 had been influenced by a “pact” with players, the manager accused him of sharing leaked information from the changing room. Continue reading...

You’ve probably already seen the post-match photo of Luka Modric doing the rounds. Fresh after his player-of-the-match performance in Croatia’s last-gasp draw with Italy that cruelly denied his country second place in Group B and qualification to the Euro 2024 knockout stages, Modric has the hollow look of a squire on a medieval tapestry, skewered by some sort of sword, a thousand-yard stare normally reserved for Glastonbury goers making their way back to reality on a Monday morning after a long, hard festival. One eye on what has come before, one eye on what is to come. We’re getting soaked. It’s like being at the Ally Pally” – Danny Murphy is the latest victim of fans throwing full pints of Tin in the air when a goal is scored at the Euros. On this occasion it was Luka Modric who caused the BBC co-commentator to get drenched. Continue reading...

An Italian journalist paid a moving tribute to Luka Modric after Croatia were likely knocked out of Euro 2024 by Italy in Leipzig. The 38 year-old Croatia captain missed a penalty, but scored shortly afterwards to give Croatia the lead and they were set to qualify for the knockout phase until, with the last kick of the game, Mattia Zaccagni equalised. That put Italy through in second place in Group B on four points behind Spain, with Croatia third on two points. The journalist said 'I wanted to thank you for everything that you've shown, not only tonight, but throughout your career. Once again, you signed off as a top class player. I'd like to ask you to never retire from your playing career because you're one of the finest players that I've ever commentated on'. Modric thanked him for the tribute and said in reply 'right from the bottom of my heart, I thank you. I'd also like to keep playing forever, but there probably will come a time when I have to hang up my boots. I'll keep playing on. I don't know for how much longer, but thank you very much for your words.' Continue reading...

Croatia manager says ‘you can’t have eight minutes’Luca Modric laments ‘cruel’ result in final group game Zlatko Dalic took aim at the “nonsense” decision to add eight minutes of time to Croatia’s match against Italy, having seen Mattia Zaccagni score with the very last action to leave his side all but out of the European Championship. Zaccagni’s goal followed an opener by Luka Modric that seemed to have given Croatia second place. But Italy dramatically leapfrogged them and Dalic, who has taken Croatia to second- and third-placed finishes at the past two World Cup tournaments, knows two points are unlikely to send them to the last 16. He suggested the extended period of added time given by the refe­ree, Danny Makkelie, was a symbol of the authorities’ ­attitude to a nation that punches above its weight. Continue reading...

Croatia's late heartache against Italy likely leaves them heading out of Euro 2024 and with uncertainty over the international future of their captain Luka Modric.

England qualify for the last 16 of Euro 2024 with a group game to spare after Spain beat Albania on Monday.

Watch highlights as Spain end the group stage with three wins from three as they beat Albania 1-0 in Dusseldorf, while Albania are eliminated.

Watch as Ferran Torres gives Spain the lead against Albania during their Group B game in Dusseldorf.

Group B match in Düsseldorf kicks off at 8pm (BST)Croatia v Italy – live with Scott MurrayShare your thoughts with Michael via email You might notice that Albania striker Mirlind Daku is not in the squad tonight after receiving a two-match ban for using a megaphone to join ­supporters in nationalist chants after Albania’s draw with Croatia. That’s a fascinating Spain XI, based upon Luis de la Fuente’s press conference yesterday, in which his comments suggested that there would not be sweeping changes. There’s a lot at stake tomorrow – there’s prestige, recognition and we want to keep improving. We’ll approach this game as we have all the others, as if it’s the last. Of course, we have a game plan for the players we feel are apt for this game. We’re only focusing on winning because we want to win every game. The last thing we want is injuries. We’re only focused on sending out the best players for our game plan. Of course, you might say this player is rested or that one is rested, but this is a tournament with seven games. We can’t worry about injuries or suspensions. Continue reading...

Group B match in Leipzig kicks off at 8pm (BST)Albania v Spain – live with Michael ButlerShare your thoughts with Scott via email Zlatko Dalic makes four changes to the Croatia XI that started the 2-2 draw with Albania. Josip Stanišić and Marin Pongračić replace Josip Juranović and Ivan Perišić in defence, while Mario Pašalić and Luka Sučić come in for Bruno Petković and Lovro Majer up top. Italy coach Luciano Spalletti makes three changes to his side in the wake of the more-comprehensive-than-it-sounds 1-0 defeat by Spain, and they’re all in attack. Out go Davide Frattesi, Gianluca Scamacca and Federico Chiesa; in come Giacomo Raspadori and Mateo Retegui up front, with Matteo Darmain adding some ballast to the back line. Continue reading...

Defeat could mean early elimination for ItalyCroatia must win to have chance of progress The Italy centre-back Alessandro Bastoni has promised that they will cast fear to one side when they try to avert the embarrassment of an early exit from Euro 2024. A defeat against Croatia would almost certainly mean the reigning champions have to sweat on the shakedown of third-place finishers, with the chances high that more than four teams will finish on three points. They could even finish bottom of Group B if Albania simultaneously record an unlikely win against Spain, who outplayed Luciano Spalletti’s side on Thursday. It promises to be a knife-edge evening given only a win will do for their opponents and Bastoni believes a no-regrets approach will help banish any lingering disappointment. Continue reading...

Albania forward Mirlind Daku has been banned for two matches after leading his country's fans in derogatory chants.