If you did not expect much from Italy on the way to Euro 2020, do not pay attention.
The “dark horse” tag that has been thrown at them seems a bit laughable considering the ridiculous shape they were heading into the tournament and the fact that they are literally Italy. Everything we saw in the group stage – three wins, seven goals, three clean sheets – was just a continuation of the run that had seen them go two and a half years without tasting defeat.
They are good. They are very, very good, but on proof of their 16th victory over Austria, they are not really the unstoppable power that their freakish record suggests.
One could have been forgiven for expecting a procession against an Austrian team that looked rather uninspiring on paper, but Roberto Mancini’s seemingly invincible side made it stormy weather on the way to the quarterfinals.
They needed 120 minutes and a tight VAR decision to squeeze through and fought desperately with the rudimentary tactics deployed by Austria. Their game plan was clear and effective – start the ball in behind the midfielders and make them run – and sometimes Leonardo Bonucci and Francesco Acerbi really struggled to keep Marko Arnautovic under the cover.
It was an Austrian long ball that almost created the opener in the second half of normal time, and there were a few occasions where they were released from the hook by a certain shame after failing to clear their lines. Without Giorgio Chiellini’s leading voice in the heart of the four backs, they fought to keep it tight.
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31 matches undefeated. A new record for @azzurri. ?? pic.twitter.com/aWKBkqRYhC
– 90min (@ 90min_Football) 26 June 2021
Keep in mind that this was Marko Arnautovic they met. In the quarterfinals, it will be either Cristiano Ronaldo or Romelu Lukaku who rides on them.
The Azzurri were also out of their attacking rhythm, with none of Lorenzo Insigne, Ciro Immobile or Domenico Berardi able to dazzle anything from the Austrian backline. When they finally broke the deadlock, the latter duo was no longer on the field.
Fortunately, Federico Chiesa has come off the bench to have one of his best matches in a jersey in Italy.
Juventus fans were already on board the Federico Chiesa train …
How good is this guy? Star boy. ??? pic.twitter.com/P7zyu48bRC
– 90min (@ 90min_Football) 27 June 2021
They needed a master class from the little Juventus winger to see through them, but you get the feeling that it would not have been enough against a higher standard of opposition.
Of course, we should not overreact to a faulty, shaky performance. You can not cross through every game, and at the end of the day, Austria dug deep and came through. The fact that they were able to do so is a good sign of their chances of going all the way.
As formidable as their record, however, they are not the finished article. There is weakness where we can be exposed, and we may only see what the Italians are really made of when things go up in gear at the end of the tournament.
