Switzerland stunned defending champions Italy in the round of 16 match of the 2024 European Championship, eliminating the Azzurri with a 2-0 win at the Frankfurt Arena in Germany on Saturday to reach Quarter-finals for a second conservative time.
It was the first time the Swiss beat the Italians in the Euros in over 30 years across all competitions.
Switzerland has qualified six times for the Euros and its best performance was in the last edition of the tournament when it reached the quarterfinals.
A new-look Italy, short of star power and without many of the key figures that led them to Euro 2020 glory, offered little in response to Switzerland’s energetic display.
Former Arsenal midfielder Granit Xhaka, arriving at the Euros after a stunning season with German champions Bayer Leverkusen, pulled the strings as the Swiss rarely looked like letting the lead slip away.
Italy coach Luciano Spalletti dropped Jorginho after his worrying group stage performances, bringing in Nicolo Fagioli in defensive midfield among a hefty six changes which failed to bring the Azzurri to life.
The 23-year-old started a major tournament match for the first time, having missed most of the season with Juventus after a seven-month ban for gambling on football matches.
Italy scraped through the first phase thanks to Mattia Zaccagni’s last-gasp strike in the 1-1 draw with Croatia and Spalletti said his team had no alternative but to improve in the knock-out rounds.
However, it was Switzerland who grew in confidence and pulled off their best display yet, making a bright start at the Olympiastadion in a sweltering Berlin, where a far more impressive Italy won the 2006 World Cup.
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