Italy's Final Pedigree - With the Memories of Past

They lucked it a bit in 1968 and were sunk by a late goal in 2000; Pietro Anastasi, Paolo Maldini and Dino Zoff look back at Italy's past UEFA European Championship finals.

Italy are playing in their third UEFA European Championship against Spain, having won the 1968 competition following a replay after famously getting through the semi-finals on the toss of a coin. However, as coach Dino Zoff recalls, their luck ran out in 2000, when a late lapse in Rotterdam cost them victory against France, as they succumbed to David Trezeguet's golden goal in extra time.

08/06/1968 Italy 1-1 Yugoslavia (aet) (Rome)
10/06/1968 Italy 2-0 Yugoslavia (Rome)

Pietro Anastasi: In the first final, Yugoslavia played better than us, and they deserved to have got to the final more than us, but they were 1-0 up when, ten minutes from the end, we had that bit of good luck that you need. Dominghini took a free-kick from just outside the box, their defensive wall opened up, the ball went through the wall and it finished 1-1. Then after two days there was this replay, the second final.

We can say that we played well in the second final. I would not say that we were dominant but we did not steal anything. If Yugoslavia deserved to win the first match, the second was a hard-fought game, but I think we won it on merit, with the first goal scored by Riva and then the second one which I scored myself.

To this day, I don't understand how I managed to score it. Well you can imagine, a 20-year-old boy who is playing his first international games, and then in the second final to manage to make it 2-0, and score the peace-of-mind goal. I saw this ball in the air, I did this half turn, I shot and I was lucky enough to put it in the right corner and I went crazy, jumping like a camel, a kangaroo rather. It was… I don't know how to say... at 20 you think about so many things. It was amazing.

02/07/2000 France 2-1 Italy (Rotterdam)

Dino Zoff: Toldo made some fairly good saves. They didn't cause us any trouble – unfortunately! – right up until the 93rd minute. When they scored from Barthez's long ball, touched by Cannavaro then by Henry and Wiltord, that was fate. On the pitch, from a technical point of view, they didn't give us any particular headaches. Unfortunately, we didn't have the strength to respond. I was trying to encourage them before extra time, but the blow was so big.

In that 20 seconds at the end of the game, we just lacked something, but that's probably just fate. We had been lucky against the Netherlands [winning the semi-final on penalties after a goalless draw]. I am a realist, but they cannot come and tell me that France did anything extraordinary. It was just France's moment.

Paolo Maldini: We had a great time at those finals. We formed a very compact group and things worked out well until very close to the end. Thirty seconds before the end of that final, we were champions of Europe. We had four good chances to clinch the win. However, we were up against a team that didn't give up and they managed to pull level in the last 30 seconds of the game.

We immediately realized we'd lost the game. We'd played an extremely tough semi-final against the Netherlands and had one fewer day to recover than France. So, psychologically, everything was in their favour. I would say that goal counted as double. It was an equalizer, but at the same time it was the winning goal. During the interval between normal time and the start of extra time, we told each other we had to pick ourselves up and win the final. But they were just words because I think that, deep inside, we knew the equalizer had been a crucial psychological blow.

It doesn't sound very nice to put it that way, but it's the truth. We were very tired and some of the players had started getting cramp. It was the result of all the tension, because during the rest of the match we'd been very strong as we were convinced we were going to win.

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Italy's Final Pedigree - With the Memories of Past

Euro Cup Closing Ceremony Set to Thrill with German Singer Oceana

Sunday's UEFA EURO 2012 closing ceremony in Kyiv will bring a memorable tournament to a spectacular climax ahead of the eagerly-awaited final between Spain and Italy.

Kyiv's Olympic Stadium will host the UEFA EURO 2012 closing ceremony on Sunday, an unforgettable curtain-raiser to the final between Spain and Italy.

Inspired by football, the 16 participating teams and the tournament's values, the 12-minute show will be presented shortly before kick-off, and will feature more than 600 volunteer performers. The concept has been created to celebrate the end of a historical event - the first UEFA European Championship staged in central and eastern Europe. It will also promote the participating nations together with key competition values: unity, rivalry and passion.

Both the opening and closing ceremonies were devised by Marco Balich, the president of Filmmaster Events, along with artistic director Lida Castelli and show director Bryn Walters. Balich has designed many international events, including the 2002 Olympic flag handover in Salt Lake City, the 2006 Olympic ceremonies in Turin and the Carnival of Venice.

The official tournament song, Endless Summer, will be performed live by German singer Oceana. The UEFA EURO 2012 hit is the first single from Oceana's outstanding new studio album, recorded in London, New York and Berlin with producers including Rob Davis (Kylie Minogue) and Blair McKichan (Lily Allen).

The national anthems of both finalists will be presented by Tamara Khodakova and Mykhailo Humenniy – soloists from the Kyiv Municipal Academic Opera and Ballet Theatre, under the leadership of Anzhela Maslennikova.

A total of 150 million viewers are expected to watch the UEFA EURO 2012 final live.

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Euro Cup Closing Ceremony Set to Thrill with German Singer Oceana

UEFA EURO Cup Final Facts and Figures

In the key statistics ahead of Sunday's UEFA EURO 2012 final, UEFA.com flags up three occasions where finalists have met earlier in the tournament, and has worrying omens for Spain.

With the final of UEFA EURO 2012 offering an intriguing rematch of the opening Group C meeting between Spain and Italy, UEFA.com rounds up all the key statistics from UEFA European Championship showpieces, including some worrying omens for the holders, the likelihood of extra time and the significance of being in front at the break.

0: Number of sides to have retained the Henri Delaunay Cup. The Soviet Union (1960, 1964) and West Germany (1972, 1976) returned to the final as holders only to lose.

0: No player has appeared in two victorious finals – Iker Casillas, Sergio Ramos, Andrés Iniesta, Xavi Hernández, Cesc Fàbregas, David Silva and Fernando Torres all started Spain's 2008 triumph, with Xabi Alonso and Santi Cazorla coming on as substitutes. Rainer Bonhof twice picked up a winners' medal with West Germany (1972, 1980) but did not play in either tournament.

13: Thirteen players have appeared in two finals: Valentin Ivanov, Viktor Ponedelnik, Lev Yashin (Soviet Union, 1960 winners, 1964 runners-up); Franz Beckenbauer, Uli Hoeness, Sepp Maier, Hans-Georg Schwarzenbeck, Herbert Wimmer (West Germany, 1972 winners, 1976 runners-up), Bernard Dietz (West Germany, 1976 runners-up, 1980 winners), Thomas Hässler, Thomas Helmer, Jürgen Klinsmann and Matthias Sammer (Germany, 1992 runners-up, 1996 winners).

3: Three teams have held the UEFA European Championship and FIFA World Cup at the same time. West Germany won the European title in 1972 and added the world crown two years later, while France claimed the 1998 World Cup and UEFA EURO 2000 and Spain triumphed at UEFA EURO 2008 and the 2010 World Cup. No team has won three major tournaments in a row; West Germany were within a shoot-out of achieving the feat before their 1976 loss to Czechoslovakia.

15: A total of 15 players appeared in both those finals: for West Germany, Sepp Maier, Franz Beckenbauer, Hans-Georg Schwarzenbeck, Paul Breitner, Uli Hoeness and Gerd Müller, while Fabien Barthez, Marcel Desailly, Bixente Lizarazu, Lilian Thuram, Didier Deschamps, Youri Djorkaeff, Patrick Vieira, Zinédine Zidane and Christophe Dugarry also achieved the feat for France.

9: Iker Casillas, Sergio Ramos, Carles Puyol, Joan Capdevila, Andrés Iniesta, Xavi Hernández, Cesc Fàbregas, Xabi Alonso and Fernando Torres played in Spain's 2008 EURO final win and the 2010 World Cup success.

27: Italy's Gianluigi Buffon, Andrea Pirlo and substitute Daniele De Rossi could join a select group to have appeared in World Cup and UEFA European Championship final victories. In addition to the 24 players mentioned above, Dino Zoff (Italy 1968, 1982) and Germany pair Thomas Hässler and Jürgen Klinsmann (1990, 1996) also featured in both final triumphs.

5: Finals to have gone to extra time:
1960: USSR 2-1 Yugoslavia
1968: Italy 1-1 Yugoslavia (replay 2-0)
1976: Czechoslovakia 2-2 West Germany (5-3 pens)
1996: Czech Republic 1-2 Germany (golden goal)
2000: France 2-1 Italy (golden goal)

1: That 1976 game between Czechoslovakia and West Germany was the first penalty shoot-out in UEFA European Championship finals history and remains the only one in a final. Antonín Panenka settled the contest, his memorable chip giving the Czechoslovakians a 5-3 victory.

1: A one-goal margin of victory is the most common outcome in the final, seven teams having won by a single goal since the tournament started in 1960, most recently Spain in 2008. That 1-0 win was the second in succession by that scoreline in the EURO showpiece following Greece's 2004 triumph against Portugal – previous teams to prevail by one goal had all triumphed 2-1.

2-0: Four teams have won 2-0 in a EURO final – Denmark (1992), the Netherlands (1988), France (1984) and Italy (1968 replay).

3-0: West Germany's 3-0 win against the Soviet Union in 1972 remains the largest margin of victory in a EURO final.

3: Teams have come from behind to win a final only three times, most recently France against Italy in 2000. Germany also achieved the feat against the Czech Republic in 1996, as did the USSR in the first final against Yugoslavia in 1960. Eight years later, Italy came from a goal down to earn a 1-1 draw against Yugoslavia and won the subsequent replay 2-0.

8: Of the eight teams who have held a half-time lead in the UEFA European Championship final, all bar two have gone on to win. Spain (2008), Denmark (1992), Netherlands (1988), West Germany (1980), Czechoslovakia (1976) and West Germany (1972) all ultimately lifted the trophy, but in the first final in 1960, Yugoslavia's 1-0 lead at the interval was turned into a 2-1 defeat against the Soviet Union, while eight years later Italy cancelled out Yugoslavia's 1-0 half-time advantage lead to draw 1-1 and won the replay.

4: This will be the fourth time teams who have already played in a UEFA European Championship meet again in the final, all at eight-year intervals. In 1988 the Netherlands opened with a 1-0 loss to the USSR  but recovered to reach the final, where they beat the same opponents 2-0; eight years later Germany overcame the Czech Republic 2-0 in the group stage and 2-1 in the final and in 2004 Greece were 2-1 winners against Portugal on the opening day and defeated the hosts again in the final, 1-0.

36: Of the 36 goals scored in finals, 14 have been scored in the first half and 19 in the second, with the remaining three coming in extra time.

6: Spain's Jesús Pereda scored the fastest goal in a EURO final, breaking the deadlock in the sixth minute of the 1964 showpiece. Galimzian Khusainov levelled two minutes later, the second fastest goal in a final.

2: This is the first UEFA European Championship final where both goalkeepers – Buffon and Casillas – have been captains. In the 1934 World Cup final, Gianpiero Combi (Italy) and František Plánička (Czechoslovakia) skippered their teams.

5: Spain's Chelsea FC pair Fernando Torres and Juan Mata could join a small group of players to have appeared in European Cup and UEFA European Championship final victories in the same year. Luis Suárez achieved the feat with FC Internazionale Milano and Spain in 1964, while in 1988 PSV Eindhoven quartet Hans van Breukelen, Ronald Koeman, Barry van Aerle and Gerald Vanenburg were all in the succcessful Netherlands side.

Wim Kieft was a Champion Clubs' Cup finalist with PSV in 1988 and an unused substitute in the Netherlands' European triumph, while Nicolas Anelka was similarly thwarted with France in 2000 after appearing in Real Madrid CF's UEFA Champions League final. Anelka's Madrid team-mate Christian Karembeu holds the unique position of being an unused substitute in European Cup and UEFA European Championship final triumphs in the same year.

10: In contrast, ten players have played in European Cup final victories and EURO final defeats in the same year: Sepp Maier, Hans-Georg Schwarzenbeck, Franz Beckenbauer and Uli Hoeness (1976, FC Bayern München and West Germany) and Ricardo Carvalho, Nuno Valente, Costinha, Maniche, Deco and Paulo Ferreira (2004, FC Porto and Portugal).

1: Should Spain triumph in Kyiv, Vicente Del Bosque would become only the second coach to lift UEFA European Championship and World Cup; Helmut Schön guided West Germany to European glory in 1972 and World Cup success two years later. His team also finished runners-up in the 1966 World Cup and 1976 European Championship.

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UEFA EURO Cup Final Facts and Figures

Pereda's Memories of Spain's First Triumph - UEFA EURO 2012 final in Kyiv

In an interview with UEFA.com before his death, former FC Barcelona forward Jesús María Pereda recalled Spain's maiden UEFA European Championship win in 1964, a triumph for team spirit.

Four years ago Spain went into UEFA EURO 2008 as perennial underachievers, a side that consistently added up to less than the sum of their parts – how things change. La Roja triumphed masterfully in Austria and Switzerland, added the 2010 FIFA World Cup and on Sunday they will attempt to become the first side to win three successive major titles when they meet Italy in the UEFA EURO 2012 final in Kyiv.

The 44 years of frustration Spain endured after capturing the European title on home soil in 1964 seems a world away, but it was that success that started it all. In an interview prior to his death in September last year, Jesús María Pereda, the FC Barcelona forward, recalled a "dream come true". He described coach José Villalonga's unorthodox approach to the final against the Soviet Union and how the team spirit united a nation.

What do you remember about the 1964 UEFA European Championship?

Chus Pereda: I have a lot of memories. The final was against the Soviet Union at Santiago Bernabéu. It was an impressive event and the whole of Spain was united. We congregated at a training camp about 50km outside Madrid and devised our game plan. Our coach José Villalonga mapped out a football pitch in the sand and used stones to represent us – and pine cones to represent the Soviet Union. He convinced us that stones were stronger than pine cones and that we were therefore going to win.

Luckily, we scored first. Luisito Suárez broke down the right and centred. The two Soviet 'towers' went up for the header. The first one missed it and collided with a team-mate. The ball came to me and my shot was so powerful it made me fall over. A quarter of an hour or so later, they equalised. Then, when there were seven or eight minutes left, I set up Marcelino who scored with a diving header. It was incredible. We spent all night celebrating and dancing.

How did you feel coming up against Lev Yashin?

Pereda: It was strange because he had this aura of being superhuman but he was a nice man like anybody else. His positioning was impeccable and he was an imposing figure. He was invited to Barcelona a while later and I showed him round. He was really nice. And then I met him when I was coaching at the World Cup.

Which team was better – the 1960 side or the '64 one?

Pereda: I don't think the team from 1964 was better. The 1960 side with [Alfredo] Di Stéfano and [László] Kubala had more talent, but it's not the names that count in football, it's the team. We were a good unit and had Luisito Suárez to conduct the 'orchestra'. Then we had great players like Amancio Amaro and Marcelino, who was a natural goalscorer. We also had [Ignacio] Zoco, [Josep Maria] Fusté, [Feliciano] Rivilla, [Fernando] Olivella, [Isacio] Calleja and a young goalkeeper called José Ángel Iribar. We were all on form and the task of the coach was to assemble these players and ensure they worked well as a unit.

What about the antagonism between players from Real Madrid and Barcelona?

Pereda: We were friends, along with those from Zaragoza, Athletic and Atlético. Seven of the team were either from Real Madrid or Barcelona. We got on very well and we formed a national team that lived and played like brothers.

But what was it like for a Barcelona player to take part in a final at Santiago Bernabéu?

Pereda: Exciting. I had played for Real Madrid when I was 18 alongside Di Stéfano, [Ferenc] Puskas, [Francisco] Gento and so on. But even I was impressed by the sight of the stadium, which was absolutely packed with people chanting 'España, España'. To be champions of Europe in an atmosphere like that was really a dream come true.
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Pereda's Memories of Spain's First Triumph - UEFA EURO 2012 final in Kyiv

Rivera reflects On Italy's 1968 Triumph

Italy won the UEFA European Championship for the first, and so far only, time in 1968 as hosts. In this interview with UEFA.com, Gianni Rivera reflects on being part of that squad.

Italy have enjoyed their fair share of FIFA World Cup success, but they have often fallen short in the UEFA European Championship – apart from 1968, that is. As Cesare Prandelli's side aim to etch the Azzurri's name onto the Henri Delaunay Cup for a second time, Gianni Rivera reflects on that competition on home soil 44 years ago and admits to mixed emotions.

Having appeared in the goalless semi-final against the USSR – which was subsequently decided in the Azzurri's favour by a coin toss – the AC Milan playmaker was denied a place in the UEFA European Championship showpiece by injury, meaning he had to watch on as his team-mates defeated Yugoslavia in a replay.

"I couldn't play in the final, but I played in all the other matches before," said Rivera, who received the UEFA President's Award for 2011 earlier this year. "You can feel such a match has the same intensity from the stands. It showed that all the players are important and that also you can occasionally do it without your best players. That's very significant, because that means that the team works as a unit."

Italy did just that to recover from a goal down in the Rome final and force a replay thanks to Angelo Domenghini's free-kick with ten minutes remaining. The hosts' 2-0 victory two days later, which Rivera again missed, gave the midfielder his only silverware of a 12-year international career.

"The national team was something very special for me," Rivera, a World Cup runner-up in Mexico in 1970, added. "For us it was fundamental to make it into the national team. It was the completion of something significant having played at club level – it's nice recognition."

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Rivera reflects On Italy's 1968 Triumph

Schmeichel Recalls EURO Glory - Euro Cup Memories

A UEFA European Championship winner in 1992, former Denmark goalkeeper Peter Schmeichel sits down with UEFA.com to answer users' tweets about his career and his triumphs.

With Europe's highest honors to his name, including UEFA European Championship and UEFA Champions League winners' medals, former Denmark goalkeeper Peter Schmeichel is more than qualified to take your tweets in the latest of UEFA.com's #Ask sessions. The Great Dane talks about his country's triumph in 1992, Andrea Pirlo's penalty, and today's current crop of goalkeepers.     

@James_Isherwood: What inspired Denmark to win EURO 92?

Peter Schmeichel: As a starting point we were a good team and, we knew we could play. So once we got the opportunity [following the disqualification of Yugoslavia] we knew it was not just us we were playing for, we were playing for the people of Yugoslavia as well. We knew we were a good team, we had a lot of inspiration from that, and we did not want to embarrass ourselves which was also an inspiration.

@refokarlo26: What do you think about Denmark's performance at EURO 2012?

Schmeichel: We did well. I actually think we did better than anyone expected us to do. We were in a tough group. Germany and Portugal got to the semis and Holland were eliminated at the same time as us. So I do not think in anyway that we embarrassed ourselves. You will not meet any disappointed Danes. There were some players that broke through, like Tobias Mikkelsen, and some of the old heads also played well.

@Lucozade_Footy: If you could play one match again, which would it be?

Schmeichel: 18 November, yes I know the date, 1993. Spain against Denmark. We needed a draw to qualify for the World Cup. We were 11 men against ten for 89 minutes but could not score and they scored a goal and won the game. The goal was a free-kick and the reason I remember the date so well is that it was my 30th birthday. So I would like to play that again if I had the chance.

@SaifulHamdi: As a goalkeeper, what did you think of Pirlo's penalty?

Schmeichel: He is a world class-player, only a world-class player does that, but it is risky. I remember being at Old Trafford for the Champions League final between AC Milan and Juventus and [Andriy] Shevchenko did the same but he missed. So it looks good when it comes off but it looks very, very silly if you miss it. I have seen Pirlo's explanation and it makes perfect sense. Joe Hart was trying to get to the corners, and if you pick the wrong side, you might miss it so down the middle is sometimes the safest place.

@Bookof_Matthew: How did you prepare yourself for a match on gameday?

Schmeichel: I always had the same routine, always did the same thing. I always watched the same TV programs on Friday night. You always stick to the same routine, but I would not call them rituals. When I was younger I had a million rituals, I had to do them, and I was really scared if I missed one. Then I had the perfect situation to get rid of all of them; we were five games from the end of the season, and needed to win one more game. We had not lost a single game all season, and were playing a game against the team that would be relegated, at home. So I decided not to do anything of what I was used to doing. I did everything the opposite way, and got rid of all of it. We won the game. We became champions that day.

@SebSegarra: What is the best team (club or country) you have ever played against? And who was the best striker you faced?

Schmeichel: We played France in 1998, in France at the World Cup. We lost 2-1, I'm just thinking that team was really good. They went on to become world champions and then again won the EUROs two years later. Fortunately I have played against the best forwards in the world. I cannot pick anyone, I just cannot. I have played against so many great strikers, and all were a big challenge.

@Mohamed_0sama: Who is the defender you felt most safe and comfortable playing with?

Schmeichel: Great question, by the way. I only played with Jaap Stam for one year, but he was awesome. That year we won the treble as well. I have to say my breakthrough at club level was behind Brucey [Steve Bruce] and Pallister [Gary Pallister]. Myself, Brucey and Pallister is something that people remember, but on balance, Jaap Stam that year was incredible.

@paolavallarino: Do you thinks that being a goalkeeper is more difficult nowadays due to the current scoring capacity of players as opposed to 14 years ago?

Schmeichel: No, I don't think so. When you look at the back-pass law it's the best rule change ever. It has changed the game. It has also given the goalkeepers a new challenge, and it means it is a different breed now. I do not think it has become more difficult; it has just become different. I think certain goalkeepers from my era would probably struggle with the way the game is today but it is like anything, you try to compare teams from ten or 20 years ago and it is impossible. There are more, high quality goalkeepers now. Look at Poland, they had six goalkeepers to pick for their squad. Germany have six or seven. [David] de Gea who plays for Manchester United has not got a sniff at the Spain national team. So I think there are many more top quality keepers than there were maybe 20 years ago.

@aklil_g: What is the best memory of your career?

Schmeichel: Well, it has got to be the day when I was told that Manchester United were looking at me. That was some day, and that was something to be told. You know, ever since I was a small kid I was dreaming about that moment, and, one day it was there.
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Schmeichel Recalls EURO Glory - Euro Cup Memories

SuperMario Strikes Awe - Team Italia Euro Cup Updates

Mario Balotelli's career has been overshadowed by his private life, but following a match-winning display against Germany, Richard Aikman feels this bad boy has come good.

For once he is getting the headlines for all the right reasons. "Incredible Balotelli" read today's Corriere dello Sport; "Amazing Balotelli double" said Tuttosport; "Super Balotelli" gushed Gazzetta dello Sport, and the praise is fully justified.

Mario Balotelli famously made the news last October for accidentally setting fire to his house in England while shooting fireworks out of the window. Last night, the Italy striker put on another pyrotechnic display, but this time around here was no collateral damage, save for the bruised egos and broken dreams of the German players, and perhaps the singed hair of Manuel Neuer.

Once SuperMario had lit the blue touchpaper there was no stopping him. His headed opener exploded past Neuer. His second accelerated beyond the German goalkeeper like a rocket after Balotelli had sprung the offside trap, allowing Riccardo Montolivo's ball to fall in front of him before racing into the area to unleash his ferocious strike.

Before the tournament began, the former FC Internazionale Milano man had played just 19 minutes of competitive international football, and his UEFA EURO 2012 campaign did not start that well. After freezing when through on goal against Spain in the opening match and drawing another blank against Croatia, a goal against the Republic of Ireland after coming on as a substitute – he was dropped for his failure to follow orders – was a reminder of his ability.

For all his pace, power and movement against England in the quarter-finals, the goals did not come, but Prandelli was convinced they would eventually – and he was right. "He gave us depth behind the lines and came back when he had to, so he played a great game," said Prandelli after Balotelli double earned the Azzurri a final spot. "Mario is a modern striker. He has great stamina, and can work hard for the side while also getting into the penalty area."

It is never easy to predict what you are going to get from SuperMario: shoulder-shrugging indifference, open confrontation or, like last night, an unplayable force of nature. It cannot be easy for one so young to be carrying the hopes of a nation on his shoulders. He is still only 21, but Balotelli answered Italy's prayers last night. With the Kyiv final looming, the bad boy is within one more firework display of becoming a national treasure.
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SuperMario Strikes Awe - Team Italia Euro Cup Updates

A Polish Perspective on UEFA EURO 2012

UEFA EURO 2012 has come to an end in Poland and the country can reflect on a fantastic three weeks and a job well done. UEFA.com reviews the tournament from a Polish perspective.

So, as far as Poland is concerned, UEFA EURO 2012 is now at an end. The country has put on a great show with the host cities of Warsaw, Gdansk, Poznan and Wroclaw throwing themselves into holding 15 top-class matches, a task they achieved with aplomb.

The sights and sounds will stay with those who both made the trip, and the tournament happen, for a long time yet. The Poland national team may have failed to make the quarter-finals, but it did not take the gloss off a superb three weeks. UEFA.com rounds up UEFA EURO 2012 from a Polish perspective in this video review.

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A Polish Perspective on UEFA EURO 2012

Italy and Spain - What Has to be Done in Final

Spain are seeking to become the first country to retain the European title and win a third successive major tournament. Can Italy, orchestrated by Andrea Pirlo, stop them?

So, after 30 matches, UEFA EURO 2012 will conclude in Kyiv on Sunday with a meeting of two teams who went head-to-head in the opening set of group games three weeks ago.

Will Spain become the first nation to retain the Henri Delaunay Cup, and in doing so make history by winning their third successive major tournament, or can Italy match La Roja's record of two continental titles?

Spain have not conceded in 419 minutes – since Antonio Di Natale gave the Azzurri the lead in Gdansk on 10 June – but whether they can shut out the Balotelli-Cassano partnership, which produced the opening goal against semi-final opponents Germany, for a second time remains to be seen.

At the other end, will Vicente del Bosque keep faith with central striker Álvaro Negredo, whom he gave a surprise start to against Portugal, or revert to playing Cesc Fàbregas as a withdrawn forward, flanked by the creative talents of Andrés Iniesta and David Silva? All this is intriguing, and that is before we even consider the battle for midfield supremacy, contested by Andrea Pirlo and Xavi Hernández et al.

What clues can we garner from the sides' Group C draw, a match which Del Bosque described as "quite balanced" and left Cesare Prandelli equally satisfied? That was Italy's third unbeaten game in succession against Spain (classing their UEFA EURO 2008 quarter-final, which went to penalties, as a draw). Can the Azzurri extend that run on Sunday or will Spain claim the silverware at the Olympic Stadium? Let us know your thoughts.

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Italy and Spain - What Has to be Done in Final

Spain and Italy will Roaring Against Each Other - UEFA Euro 2012 Final

Three weeks after they opened their campaigns in Poland and Ukraine with a 1-1 draw in Gdansk, Spain and Italy meet again in the UEFA EURO 2012 final at Kyiv's Olympic Stadium.

Exactly three weeks after they opened their UEFA EURO 2012 finals campaigns with a 1-1 draw in Gdansk, Spain and Italy meet again in Kyiv for the right to be crowned European champions.

• The matchday one draw means Spain have not won a competitive game against Italy since their very first meeting – though they did edge them out on penalties in the quarter-finals four years ago en route to lifting the trophy for the second time. Vicente del Bosque's side could now become the first team to successfully defend the UEFA European Championship. Italy are in the final for the first time in 12 years as they look to claim a second European crown and their first in 44 years.

Head-to-head record
• Spain's record in 30 games against Italy is W8 D12 L10, but seven of those victories have come in friendly games.

• In the teams' 11 competitive fixtures, Spain's record is W1 D5 L5, including a UEFA EURO 2008 quarter-final that Spain won on penalties after a goalless 120 minutes but which is classified as a draw. The sole outright Spanish victory, a 2-0 win, came in the sides' first meeting at the 1920 Olympic Games.

• In FIFA World Cup and UEFA European Championship finals matches, Spain's record against Italy reads W0 D4 L3 – three of those draws and a loss coming in the continental competition.

• Italy inflicted the joint heaviest defeat in Spain's history during the 1928 Olympics, beating them 7-1 in an Amsterdam replay following a 1-1 quarter-final draw. A 7-1 friendly loss against England on 9 December 1931 matched that margin.

• The sides first met at a UEFA European Championship in 1980, playing out a 0-0 draw. Current La Roja coach Vicente del Bosque, capped 18 times, ended his Spain career at the tournament but did not play against Italy.

• At the 1988 finals, Italy beat Spain 1-0 in the second Group 1 game in Frankfurt thanks to Gianluca Vialli's 73rd-minute goal.

• Italy's most recent competitive victory against Spain came in the 1994 World Cup quarter-finals in Boston, Roberto Baggio's 88th-minute effort securing a 2-1 victory.

Selected previous meetings
10 June 2012: Spain 1-1 Italy (Fàbregas 64; Di Natale 61) – Arena Gdansk, Gdansk, UEFA EURO 2012, group stage
Spain: Casillas, Arbeloa, Piqué, Ramos, Alba, Alonso, Busquets, Xavi, Silva (Navas 64), Fàbregas (Torres 74), Iniesta.
Italy: Buffon, Chiellini, Bonucci, De Rossi, Maggio, Marchisio, Pirlo, Motta (Nocerino 90), Giaccherini, Balotelli (Di Natale 56), Cassano (Giovinco 65).

• Cesc Fàbregas salvaged a draw after Antonio Di Natale's first international goal since June 2010 had put Italy in front.

10 August 2011: Italy 2-1 Spain (Montolivo 11, Aquilani 84; Alonso 37pen) – Stadio San Nicola, Bari, friendly
Italy: Buffon, Chiellini, Criscito, Maggio, Ranocchia (Bonucci 77), De Rossi (Aquilani 65), Motta (Marchiso 46), Montolivo (Nocerino 74), Pirlo, Cassano (Balotelli 59), Rossi (Pazzini 59).
Spain: Casillas (Valdés 46), Arbeloa, Albiol, Piqué (Busquets 45), Iraola (Villa 46), Cazorla (Mata 80), Javi Martínez, Alonso, Iniesta (Thiago 46), Silva, Torres (Llorente 15).

• In the sides' 19th and most recent friendly, Riccardo Montolivo scored his only goal in 36 senior appearances. He managed three U21 goals, including one in Palencia on 10 October 2006 during a 2-1 play-off victory against a Spain side containing Raúl Albiol and David Silva that took Italy into the finals at their hosts' expense.

22 June 2008: Spain 0-0 Italy (aet, Spain won 4-2 on penalties) – Ernst-Happel-Stadion, Vienna, UEFA EURO 2008, quarter-finals
Spain: Casillas, Ramos, Puyol, Marchena, Capdevila, Iniesta (Cazorla 59), Senna, Xavi (Fàbregas 60), Silva, Torres (Guïza 85), Villa.
Italy: Buffon, Zambrotta, Panucci, Chiellini, Grosso, Aquilani (Del Piero 108), De Rossi, Ambrosini, Cassano (Di Natale 75), Perrotta (Camoranesi 58), Toni.

• Roberto Donadoni's Italy were the only side Luis Aragonés's outfit failed to beat at UEFA EURO 2008, though Spain came through on penalties. Iker Casillas saved from Daniele De Rossi and Di Natale, Buffon denying Daniel Guïza. Fàbregas converted the ninth penalty to send Spain into the semi-finals.

Form guide
• The 1-1 draw in Gdansk ended Spain's run of 14 straight competitive victories since they surprisingly lost 1-0 to Switzerland in their opening game of the 2010 FIFA World Cup finals. They are now unbeaten in 19 competitive fixtures.

• Spain embarked on a run of ten straight UEFA European Championship victories after their last meeting with Italy in the 2008 quarter-finals. They have gone 28 games without defeat in this competition since losing 2-0 in Sweden in a UEFA EURO 2008 qualifier on 7 October 2006.

• Spain's last defeat at a EURO was a 1-0 loss to hosts Portugal in the 2004 group stage that ended their interest in the competition.

• Italy last lost a competitive game when they went down 3-2 to Slovakia in their last 2010 World Cup finals match – they have since won ten and drawn five. They have gone 18 games without a UEFA European Championship defeat over 90 minutes since losing 3-0 to the Netherlands in their opening match at UEFA EURO 2008.

• This is the fourth time teams who have already played in a UEFA European Championship meet again in the final. In 1988 the Netherlands opened with a 1-0 loss to the USSR  but later beat the same opponents 2-0 to take the trophy; eight years later Germany overcame the Czech Republic 2-0 in the group stage and 2-1 in the final and in 2004 Greece were 2-1 winners against Portugal on the opening day and 1-0 victors in the final.

• Spain's shoot-out record in UEFA European Championships and World Cups is:
5-4 v Denmark, 1984 UEFA European Championship semi-final
4-5 v Belgium, 1986 FIFA World Cup quarter-final
2-4 v England, EURO '96 quarter-final
3-2 v Republic of Ireland, 2002 FIFA World Cup round of 16
3-5 v South Korea, 2002 FIFA World Cup quarter-final
4-2 v Italy, UEFA EURO 2008 quarter-final
4-2 v Portugal, UEFA EURO 2012 semi-final

• Italy's shoot-out record is:
3-4 v Argentina, 1990 FIFA World Cup semi-final
2-3 v Brazil, 1994 FIFA World Cup final
3-4 v France, 1998 FIFA World Cup quarter-final
3-1 v Netherlands, UEFA EURO 2000 semi-final
5-3 v France, 2006 FIFA World Cup final
2-4 v Spain, UEFA EURO 2008 quarter-final
4-2 v England, UEFA EURO 2012 quarter-final

Final pedigree
• Spain are in their fourth UEFA European Championship final:
1964: Spain 2-1 USSR (Pereda 6, Marcelino 84; Khusainov 8) – Madrid
1984: France 2-0 Spain (Platini 57, Bellone 90) – Paris
2008: Germany 0-1 Spain (Torres 33) – Vienna

• Italy are in the showpiece for the third time:
1968: Italy 1-1 Yugoslavia, aet (Domenghini 80; Džajić 39) – Rome
Replay Italy 2-0 Yugoslavia (Riva 12, Anastasi 31) – Rome
2000: France 2-1 Italy, aet golden goal (Wiltord 90, Trezeguet 103; Delvecchio 55) – Rotterdam

• Spain were also victorious in the 2010 World Cup on their sole final appearance; Italy claimed the world crown in 1934, 1938, 1982 and 2006 and were beaten in the 1970 and 1994 finals.

• Casillas, Sergio Ramos, Andrés Iniesta, Xavi Hernández, Fàbregas, David Silva and Fernando Torres all started Spain's 2008 final triumph, with Xabi Alonso and Santi Cazorla coming on as substitutes. No player has appeared in two victorious finals.

• Italy's Gianluigi Buffon, Andrea Pirlo and substitute De Rossi appeared in the 2006 World Cup final victory. Only 27 players – including Casillas, Ramos, Carles Puyol, Joan Capdevila, Iniesta, Xavi, Fàbregas, Alonso and Torres – have featured in UEFA European Championship and World Cup final wins. Gerard Piqué, Sergio Busquets, Pedro Rodríguez and Jesús Navas could also join the club having played in Spain's 2010 World Cup final victory.

• Del Bosque could become only the second coach to win the World Cup and UEFA European Championship, after West Germany's Helmut Schön in 1972 and 1974.

• Chelsea FC pair Torres and Juan Mata could win the European Cup and UEFA European Championship in the same season. Luis Suárez (1964, FC Internazionale Milano and Spain) and Hans van Breukelen, Ronald Koeman, Barry van Aerle and Gerald Vanenburg (1988, PSV Eindhoven and the Netherlands) are the only players to have achieved the feat.

Team ties
• Silva and Mario Balotelli are team-mates at Manchester City FC.

• Antonio Cassano played at Real Madrid CF from January 2006 to summer 2007, alongside Casillas and Ramos.

• Alonso scored Liverpool FC's equalising goal (converting the rebound after his spot kick had been parried by Dida) in the 2005 UEFA Champions League final against AC Milan which finished 3-3, the Premier League club going on to win the penalty shoot-out. Italy's Pirlo was on the losing side in Istanbul.

• Pirlo and Alonso met again in the final two years later when Milan ran out 2-1 winners in Athens. Pepe Reina started in goal for Liverpool while Álvaro Arbeloa came on as a late substitute.

• Despite scoring a second-leg goal in FC Barcelona's 2002/03 UEFA Champions League quarter-final against a Juventus team featuring Buffon, Xavi was ultimately on the losing side as the Italian side advanced 3-2 on aggregate.

• Xavi was also on target against Italian opposition in this season's UEFA Champions League group stage, scoring the winner in a 3-2 win against Milan at San Siro.

• Iniesta and Antonio Nocerino scored for Barcelona and Milan respectively in the Catalan club's 3-1 victory in the 2011/12 UEFA Champions League quarter-finals after the goalless first-leg draw at San Siro. Ignazio Abate played for Milan in the same game.

• Fabio Borini and Torres were team-mates at Chelsea between January and March 2011.

• Piqué scored just two goals in official competition while at Manchester United FC between 2004 and 2008, the second of which came in a 1-1 UEFA Champions League group stage draw away to AS Roma on 12 December 2007. De Rossi made a substitute appearance for the hosts.

• Roma's De Rossi and Cassano both found the target against Casillas's Real Madrid on 28 September 2004 but it was not enough to prevent the Italian side losing 4-2 at the Santiago Bernabéu.

• Pirlo's Milan enjoyed a 3-2 win against Casillas and Madrid in the 2009/10 UEFA Champions League group stage.

• Torres's first senior goal for Spain came in a 1-1 friendly against Italy in Genoa on 28 April 2004.

• Italian international Thiago Motta was born in Brazil and started his European career with Barcelona. He moved to Genoa CFC in 2008 and joined FC Internazionale Milano a year later. Having been in the Barça squad when the UEFA Champions League was won in 2006, he picked up the title again in 2010 with Inter after helping to eliminate Barça in the semi-finals, although he was sent off in the second leg at the Camp Nou.

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Spain and Italy will Roaring Against Each Other - UEFA Euro 2012 Final

Italy Must Not fear Spain - Cesare Prandelli (Italian Coach)

Cesare Prandelli is a great admirer of Spain's style but insists his side cannot afford to be cowed by their UEFA EURO 2012 final rivals. "We mustn't fear them," he said. "We're here on merit.''

Cesare Prandelli recognizes that his side must pass a stern examination when they take on Spain in the UEFA EURO 2012 final, but steadfastly believes Italy can emerge triumphant. "We mustn't fear them," he said. "We are here on merit and we will give it everything."

After receiving another standing ovation as he entered the rechristened Sala Prandelli for his final press conference at Casa Azzurri, the Italy coach expressed his satisfaction at masterminding the downfall of Joachim Löw's highly rated Germany side with a 2-1 victory in Warsaw last night.

"We are very proud to have come so far" said the 54-year-old, who first expressed birthday wishes to Gioregio Napoletano, the Italian President who turned 86 today. "It makes you especially proud to represent you country, but when you're abroad I think you understand even more keenly than the people back home exactly what it means to fly the flag. Last night we had a game plan in place and the players executed it to perfection. The guys were extraordinary, we had very little time in training but we exploited what little time we had really well."

Though he admitted his players were exhausted after their efforts in reaching Sunday's final in Kyiv, Prandelli was optimistic about Italy's prospects of overcoming a free-flowing Spain side whose playing style he holds in the highest regard. "I'm hoping to prepare the team well even if we only have one day to do it. Just as we did with Germany we need to try to find their weak points and work on them.

"It won't be easy because Spain have been playing together for years, they won the last EURO and World Cup, and they are in the final again. This means they aren't just technically good, but they also have great moral and personal attributes that make them an example to us all. But we are here too. We have grown as the tournament has gone on."

The Azzurri played Spain in their opening match of the campaign, sharing a spirited 1-1 draw with Vicente del Bosque's side. Then, Antonio Di Natale gave them the lead which was quickly cancelled out by Cesc Fàbregas, and Prandelli believes his players have come on in leaps and bounds since that Group C fixture in Gdansk three weeks ago. "We have improved because since then we've been able to work in the field, work on our physical fitness and, psychologically speaking, now we're now a real side.

"We had a great first half against Spain and we must do that again," recalled Prandelli. "We must keep our balance, that's the secret. If we can distribute our resources in the right way then we have a chance. We need to show the right spirit but we must also have the right ideas. But it's not just about keeping our shape, it's also about attitude. We musn't fear them, we are here on merit, and now we have the desire to take it down to the wire and give it everything we have to win."

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Italy Must Not fear Spain - Cesare Prandelli (Italian Coach)

Cesc Fàbregas Sings Iniesta's Praises - UEFA Euro Cup Final

Cesc Fàbregas refused to be drawn on Spain's formation against Italy but said Andrés Iniesta is a "source of immense confidence" for a team bidding to make history in Sunday's final.

Cesc Fàbregas refused to be drawn on whether Spain would play a recognized center-forward in the UEFA EURO 2012 final, instead the FC Barcelona midfielder chose to sing the praises of club-mate Andrés Iniesta and stress that La Roja will do everything they can to make history on Sunday.

Fàbregas deputised for leading scorer David Villa in the UEFA EURO 2008 showpiece, playing just behind Fernando Torres in a role which helped create space for the now Chelsea FC striker to score the winning goal against Germany.

Villa's absence from Poland and Ukraine has meant that this time Fàbregas and Torres have been in outright competition for a position in Vicente del Bosque's starting XI. The race to make the teamsheet gathered pace when Álvaro Negredo was given the starting centre-forward spot against Portugal in the semi-final.

The fact that Fàbregas, as he did in Vienna four years previously against Italy, struck the winning penalty has left some suggesting that he now has an advantage over the three other potential central strikers, Torres, Negredo and the unused Fernando Llorente.

However, the former Arsenal FC man believes that the fuss over the forward position is obscuring a couple of important points – firstly that Spain are on the brink of making history and secondly that Iniesta is having the tournament of his life.

"Andrés is getting better and better from game to game," said Fàbregas. "He had a difficult season at club level because of repetitive injuries, but he's in an extraordinary moment of his career at this tournament. This is having a huge impact on how we play.

"He's creative, he runs with the ball, he's got a brilliant final pass and with each passing year he's become more of a goalscorer as well as a provider. He's a source of immense confidence for us. During matches you can see him taking on more and more responsibility and in attack he's the team's reference point."

Indeed, it was Fàbregas who set up Iniesta to score the winner in the 2010 FIFA World Cup final against the Netherlands. Having already conquered Europe in 2008, it means that should Spain defeat Cesare Prandelli's side on Sunday in Kyiv then La Roja will have achieved something which no nation has ever done.

"We've already made history with the two consecutive trophies we've won, but, of course, we want a little bit more and came here with that as our objective," said the 25-year-old. "We'll give everything we have to win the tournament, not simply to make history. It's in our nature to try and win. Should be we be able to do so then we can celebrate with our friends and family. I know Spain is a football-obsessed country which is right behind us at the moment."

Fabregas is well aware that the Azzurri are in prime form and he respects the array of talent they have at their disposal. "[Mario] Balotelli's goals against Germany tell you all you need to know – he's a star and the first one was scored like an old fashioned centre-forward. We have to try and restrict Balotelli, [Antonio] Cassano and, above all, [Andrea] Pirlo, who had a great game the other night. It's going to be a very tight, very competitive final and the winner will have proved themselves the best team in this tournament."

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Cesc Fàbregas Sings Iniesta's Praises - UEFA Euro Cup Final

Iker Casillas Ready for Shot at Unique Treble - UEFA Champions League

Iker Casillas discusses why the world and European champions Spain are ready to make history in Kyiv, the Italy shoot-out that changed everything and the drinks that started it all.

The popular legend is that a light-hearted bet between Iker Casillas, Pepe Reina and Andrés Palop, with stakes no higher than a couple of beers and some tapas, was one of the biggest influences on Spain winning UEFA EURO 2008.

Football folk can let superstition gnaw away at reason even at the best of times. Luis Aragonés, a man famous for mistrusting the colour yellow, went as far as refusing to acknowledge that the shirts worn by his Spain side in their last-four win against Russia were anything other than 'mustard' – but many doubted his charges would even reach that far when their quarter-final with Italy went to penalties in Vienna on 22 June.

Why? Well, the Roja had failed to defeat Italy in a competitive match in 88 long years since 1920. Worse still, the cursed date of 22 June had marked Spanish exits at three previous tournaments, and all following a penalty shoot-out: against Belgium at the 1986 FIFA World Cup, at the hands of England at EURO '96 and then against South Korea at the 2002 World Cup. Enough to give anyone a complex; but not Casillas.

A couple of weeks before the championship in Austria and Switzerland, he, Reina and Palop were consistently the last to leave Spain's training pitch at Las Rozas near Madrid, the three goalkeepers finishing with a penalty competition among themselves. The loser was to buy the other two a couple of cañas (little glasses of beer) and tapas.

That sharpening-up exercise had evidently gone well enough for Casillas, hit by the heady mix of adrenaline and exhaustion which sets in after extra time at a major tournament, to reject the help of Spain's goalkeeping coach before the shoot-out with Italy. José Manuel Ochotorena had a folder full of information on Italy's penalty takers that he was bursting to share with the Spanish captain, but did he want it? No, he did not. Casillas felt alert, confident – at the absolute apogee of his form.

Superstition, be damned. And the fact that Spain had not reached a major semi-final since the UEFA European Championship in France nearly a quarter of a century before? Also a mere detail to the man now heading towards goal. History has the subsequent facts noted down – saves to either side denied Antonio Di Natale and Daniele De Rossi so that Cesc Fàbregas could score the winning penalty and send Spain through to meet Russia en route to their showpiece victory against Germany. But, in that moment, the watching world held its breath while the stadium reverberated with noise and tension.

Unsurprisingly, that shoot-out, a turning point in his country's football destiny, still evokes magical memories for Casillas. "That was the moment when everything Spain needed to end our run of not winning tournaments and going out at the same stage every time just clicked," says the Real Madrid CF stalwart. "I recall every single bit of it: Italy as the opposition, the game finishing 0-0, and the fact it was going to be penalties on 22 June – again!"

Above all, Casillas is a team man. When it comes to his work, he sets exacting personal standards and trains with such intensity that, occasionally, he can appear lost in his own private search for excellence. Make no mistake, though: if asked to lead, either for club or country, then this is a player who strives to unify, seek consensus and maximise the power to be gained when 23 top athletes and their coaching staff all hungrily pursue the same goal.

"Our training camp in Neustift had been a place of great happiness and exceptional times," the 31-year-old recalls. "There was this feeling that we were living through a wonderful period. We all got on excellently together and the squad was really happy with our coach. I think that the great success was Luis Aragonés himself. A month before the finals, the coach had everything sorted in his mind – how to manage the squad and precisely what he wanted from the tournament." And, after Fernando Torres's goal in the final against Germany, the old man got his wish.

As the celebrations raged, Casillas raised the trophy aloft with ghosts of previous failures swirling around his head. "It was historic for Spanish football, but it brought great personal happiness after many disappointments, injustices and sad times both as a player and fan. In that moment, my thoughts were with former team-mates who'd tried to win a title in front of our supporters but weren't able to."

Of course, Spain then went on to add the 2010 World Cup to their European crown, with Vicente del Bosque now installed at the helm. About an hour after the final whistle in Soccer City, I spoke to Casillas and asked him to sum up the years of work that had gone into such a marvellous achievement. He immediately pinpointed UEFA EURO 2008, and the seasons leading up to it, as a revolutionary time in Spanish football.

Asked to compare the two major prizes the Roja have lifted since 2008, Casillas feels an overwhelmingly greater surge of affection when he thinks back to conquering Europe in Vienna. "If I had to choose just one of those memories, it would be EURO 2008 because it broke a 44-year run of our country not winning anything." Can they defeat Italy again in Sunday's kyiv final to make it three trophies in five years under captain Casillas? Don't bet even a caña or a couple of tapas against it.

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Iker Casillas Ready for Shot at Unique Treble - UEFA Champions League

Spain earn their spot luck - Success owes nothing to chance

Graham Hunter saw Spain practice their shoot-out technique ahead of Wednesday's semi-final success, and knows that Vicente del Bosque's side owe success to more than fortune.

FC Shakhtar Donetsk's secluded, leafy Kirsha training ground is a world away from the cauldron of noise and pressure of the Donbass Arena on Wednesday night, where Spain lined up to take penalties against Portugal – but it is the place to begin our short story.
A shiny, new, well-appointed place, it has azure-blue lanterns placed around the pitch at two metre intervals. While the Spanish players trained late at night, those torches crackled and buzzed like raw electricity while bugs and flying biting things were drawn to the light and extinguished as a threat. It was a bizarre soundtrack.

Three quarters of Vicente del Bosque's side were practising passing exercises, one or two were allowed to joke around (Gerard Piqué amused himself with the odd 60 metre 'pass' right into the phalanx of cameramen and women who were parked to the left of Iker Casillas' goal), but at the far end Pepe Reina had been designated as penalty stopper while a handful of men, those who might be required to participate in a shoot-out against Portugal the following evening, were told to practice.

Those selected were Santi Cazorla, Andrés Iniesta, Álvaro Arbeloa,  Gerard Piqué and Sergio Ramos. What do you make of that?

Casillas wasn't asked to have penalty after penalty blasted past him so that his immense composure would not be ruffled.

Regular takers like Cesc Fàbregas, Juan Mata, Xabi Alonso, Fernando Llorente, Fernando Torres and Xavi Hernández weren't asked to take any.

There was no drama. The training session carried on around them and Del Bosque worked on other matters. It was a dusting off of cobwebs, Reina did the other thing he's brilliant at, setting a jocular but competitive mood, and to be there was to understand that Del Bosque saw a good chance of stalemate after 120 minutes.

The debate about the correlation between practicing penalties and taking them under pressure will rage on but I'm certain – working on your technique, getting in the groove, does no harm at all.

In the end Piqué scored, rather splendidly, and Ramos chipped over Rui Patrício. "I thought about that penalty during training on Tuesday night but I didn't want to show it to the media so I kept it to myself," said the Real Madrid CF defender, who missed a spot kick when FC Bayern München eliminated his club in this season's UEFA Champions League semi-final.

Practice won't make perfection – some penalties will still be missed – but the whole exercise was a microcosm of what has made Spain great. Work on your technique harder than the next guy and you'll usually beat him. As Jackie Stewart, Formula 1 world champion, always told me when I worked with him: "The harder I work the luckier I get." Lucky, lucky Spain.

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Spain earn their spot luck - Success owes nothing to chance

Germany, Italy team reporters to take questions

As part of the countdown to the Germany-Italy, UEFA.com is giving you the chance to ask our team reporters your questions that they will answer from 14.30CET on Thursday.

As preparations for the second semi-final continue, UEFA.com is giving you the opportunity to leave your questions for our Germany and Italy team reporters.

Richard Aikman and Steffen Potter have followed Italy and Germany respectively throughout UEFA EURO 2012 and will answer your questions in the match preview from 14.30CET on Thrusday 28 June.

To have your question looked at by the experts, leave it in the comments section at the bottom of the page or tweet using #AskUEFAcom and they will answer as many as possible here.

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Germany, Italy team reporters to take questions

No divided loyalties for half-German Montolivo

"Kyiv is our objective and it's well within our compass," Riccardo Montolivo told UEFA.com as the half-German Italy midfielder prepares for "a crazy semi-final" against his mother's home nation.

Born to an Italian father and a German mother, Riccardo Montolivo may have a better idea than most of how good Italy's UEFA EURO 2012 semi-final opponents will be on Thursday, but the midfielder is confident the Azzurri have what it takes to reach Sunday's final. "Kyiv is our objective and it's well within our compass," he told UEFA.com.

Montolivo made only one appearance in the group stage but played all 120 minutes of Italy's goalless quarter-final, in which Cesare Prandelli's side emerged triumphant after a nerve-racking penalty shoot-out. Had England been more ruthless with their spot kicks the 27-year-old might have been remembered for a penalty miss that cost his side a place in the last four, but fortune favoured the former ACF Fiorenitna midfielder, who had otherwise enjoyed an excellent match, as Italy rallied with the help of Andrea Pirlo's impudent, chipped effort.

"He sent us a reassuring message with his penalty," Montolivo told UEFA.com. "It was a crazy goal, and it certainly put England under pressure as they missed their two subsequent penalties. As for my penalty, it's a shame I put it wide but the most important thing is we got through."

Although the Azzurri were taken the distance on Sunday, the Group C runners-up dominated the quarter-final, another example of their improving form. "I don't think we'll play any differently on Thursday," Montolivo said. "We will keep playing the same way. By playing an expansive game from the start of the tournament until now, we have kept improving and we aim to do the same in the next match. We're facing a great team, and we will do so playing open football."

Italy's new style is the mark of a coach Montolivo served under for five years at Fiorentina, the club he left for AC Milan recently, and his relationship with his former mentor benefitted his cause when Thiago Motta was sidelined for the England match. "I know Prandelli very well," explained Montolivo. "He has brought a sense of calm and has got us playing football. That has been our prerogative for the last two years and we will continue to play this way. His best quality is that he knows how to coach football – he is like a teacher."

Prandelli has been at pains to convince his players they are good enough to succeed by taking the game to the opposition, and it seems that the penny has now dropped. "We have what it takes to go all the way and we have shown how good we are in our matches to date," said Montolivo. "At this point we have to give it everything we've got, regardless of who we are playing. We have got Germany next but it could have been anyone; Kyiv is our objective and it is well within our compass."

Montolivo is looking forward to taking on the nation where his mother was born and raised, and the fluent German speaker described the Warsaw encounter as "a special match", although he believes a united Azzurri squad have the momentum to disappoint his maternal relatives. "Italy's strength is our squad," said the ball-playing midfielder, who has 35 caps and one goal to his name.

"Each and every one of the 23 players are giving their all to the cause. We have been playing together for two years now. The squad has stayed essentially the same and so we have the option to rotate players. We can swap one player for another without adversely affecting the way the team plays.

"It will be a crazy semi-final. Germany are a very strong side, who are very gifted and highly rated. They have been playing well and winning for many years now and will be very well prepared for us. But we know we are good enough. We'll definitely try to be more accurate in front of goal, but that goes for the midfielders as well as the strikers. The most important thing is to create chances; then I'm sure the goals will come."

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No divided loyalties for half-German Montolivo

Portugal - Historical Memories of UEFA and Football

Before Portugal take on neighbors Spain in the last four on Wednesday, UEFA.com caught up with veterans of the Selecção's previous three semi-final appearances.

Competing in their third semi-final in the last four editions, Portugal have real UEFA European Championship pedigree, but face a stern test if they are to deny Iberian neighbors Spain a second successive showpiece appearance. UEFA.com spoke to three players who featured in semi-finals for the Selecção and asked them to share their memories.

23/06/1984 France 3-2 Portugal (aet) (Marseille)

Chalana: We finished third in 1984 but we could have easily finished second or even first. In that game against France we had a golden chance through Nené to end the match in our favor, but he couldn't find a way to make it 3-1 in extra time. To make things even worse for us France managed to do what we could not and scored. It's still very painful whenever I look at the footage of that game and I always stop the tape of the match after Nené misses our last chance. All the French still tell me it was the best game of the European Championship.

28/06/2000 France 2-1 Portugal (aet) (Brussels)

José Vidigal: That team in 2000 was probably one the of the best that Portugal ever had: great, talented players and great men. We could have made it through to the final, we scored first but it seemed that we were meant to suffer. Every player was a leader in his own way and we had a coach [Humberto Coelho] who gave us maximum freedom and demanded the same from us in terms of responsibility.

30/06/2004 Portugal 2-1 Netherlands (Lisbon)

Maniche: I never imagined that it would be a great goal, but when you take a shot the objective is to score. That's what I tried to do. Fortunately I had luck, which also helps a bit in those circumstances, but [I was thinking about] shooting with conviction. It was a historic moment, not only for me but for the whole team – obviously especially for me it was a very remarkable moment, because I will never forget that goal.

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Portugal - Historical Memories of UEFA and Football

HNS and FPF Have to Pay Fines - UEFA Mega Events Updates

The Croatian Football Federation (HNS) and the Portuguese Football Federation (FPF) have been fined for crowd incidents at UEFA EURO 2012 games in Gdansk and Warsaw respectively.

The Croatian Football Federation (HNS) has been fined €30,000 by the UEFA Control and Disciplinary Body.

The sanction has been imposed for the setting off and throwing of fireworks and the improper conduct of supporters (display of inappropriate and racist banners) at the UEFA EURO 2012 Group C fixture against Spain in Gdansk on 18 June.

The Portuguese Football Federation (FPF), meanwhile, has been fined €7,000 for the inappropriate behaviour of their supporters – attempted invasion of the field of play by a fan – at the quarter-final against the Czech Republic in Warsaw on 21 June.

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HNS and FPF Have to Pay Fines - UEFA Mega Events Updates

Germany Performance Review - Past Vs Present

Team reporter Steffen Potter compares Joachim Löw's side with what he considers the all-time Germany XI, position by position. Do you agree with his choices? Have your say.

No matter what the outcome of Thursday's semi-final against Italy, I believe this Germany team are shaping up to become one of the finest for generations. This got me thinking – how would this side compare with a selection of Germany's best? As a fair test, I limited it to players I have seen represent the national team with my own eyes, so no Franz Beckenbauer or Gerd Müller, for example. Below is my opinion, not UEFA's, but what is yours? Let me know your thoughts using the box at the bottom of the page.

Goalkeeper: Manuel Neuer v Oliver Kahn – 0-1
Neuer is a great keeper and he is better than Kahn with the ball at his feet. However, Kahn was the undoubted best in the world a decade ago.

Left-back: Philipp Lahm v Andreas Brehme – 0-2
This is a tough call. Lahm is a complete player and one of the most recognised full-backs in the world. Yet so was Brehme, a forward-thinking defender ahead of his time, strong with both feet. Brehme gets the nod for his right-footed strike against the Netherlands in the 1990 FIFA World Cup and for converting the decisive penalty in the Rome final.

Centre-back: Holger Badstuber v Jürgen Kohler – 1-2
Kohler was less a centre-back like Badstuber is today and more an old-fashioned man-marker. Kohler was rated as one of the best defenders of his generation, but Badstuber continues to improve and offers perhaps the greater all-round package.

Centre-back: Mats Hummels v Matthias Sammer – 1-3
I know Sammer was a libero for Germany yet I would have liked him as centre-back in my all-time XI in order to help build the play from the back. Hummels, a revelation at this tournament, does much the same job, though Sammer's outstanding desire – which helped Germany to EURO '96 glory – takes the point here.

Right-back: Jérôme Boateng v Stefan Reuter – 1-4
This is considered one of the most competitive positions in the current Germany squad and I had problems selecting one from the past. Reuter's pace is what stands out but, ideally, I want a Lahm clone here.

Holding midfielder: Bastian Schweinsteiger v Lothar Matthäus – 1-5
I am talking pre-libero Matthäus, so please think of the dynamic version of 1990. I remember an Italian paper writing that he "looked like he had a body made of steel" – add a powerful shot with either foot into the mix and Matthäus, one of Germany's foremost midfielders, wins.

Holding midfielder: Sami Khedira v Stefan Effenberg – 1-6
Effenberg's career with the Nationalmannschaft was possibly not as successful as it might have been, yet to pair him alongside Matthäus in midfield would have been sensational.

Left midfielder: Lukas Podolski v Thomas Hässler – 2-6
Hässler was a hero of the 1990s and almost universally admired for his skill and dribbling ability. Podolski's slot in the current Germany side, according to some, is under threat, although he gets my vote here thanks to his superior scoring record (44 in 100 games, against Hässler's 11 in 101) and added value in helping out in defence.

Attacking midfielder: Mesut Özil v Uwe Bein – 3-6
If Bein looks a surprise pick, he was one of the deadliest passers I have witnessed and his talent for carving open defences was second to none. However, Özil played a huge part in helping Real Madrid CF win the Liga title last season at the expense of an FC Barcelona team considered by some the best club side ever.

Right midfielder: Thomas Müller v Andreas Möller – 3-7
England fans can skip this paragraph. There have been suggestions Möller never really lived up to his potential with Germany, but EURO '96 was a different story. Twenty-nine goals from 85 caps is also a decent return and his technique, pace and dribbling skills outshine Müller's (Marco Reus could be a competitor in a few years, though). The icing on the cake is the way he converted his penalty against England in THAT semi-final despite knowing he was suspended for the showpiece.

Striker: Miroslav Klose v Jürgen Klinsmann – 4-7
Mario Gomez has started three UEFA EURO 2012 matches to Klose's one, yet Klose's incredible quantity of goals at major tournaments makes him the most lethal German forward of my lifetime – even better than Klinsmann, who shone in '96. I will go for Klose, as I believe Joachim Löw will against Italy.

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Germany Performance Review - Past Vs Present

Mario Balotelli Italia - Semi Finalist Past in UEFA

Expectations may have been low following a bumpy preparation, but Italy have slowly moved through the gears and are now eyeing a third UEFA European Championship final.

Considering the way their preparations went, it is a minor miracle Italy have reached their fourth UEFA European Championship semi-final. Their 3-0 defeat by Russia a week before the start of UEFA EURO 2012 was the Azzurri's third straight friendly loss, while the victory against the Republic of Ireland which secured a place in the last eight was their first final tournament triumph in seven attempts. Yet Cesare Prandelli's side have begun to rediscover the free-flowing football that ensured they breezed through qualification unbeaten, and momentum is behind them.

Tactics: The Russia reverse and the calf injury that sidelined Andrea Barzagli for the opening two matches prompted Prandelli to switch from his customary 4-3-1-2 to a 3-5-2 formation, with midfielder Daniele De Rossi withdrawn to the centre of his three-man defense. Italy enjoyed possession aplenty and created myriad chances in this system but in both 1-1 draws, squandered 1-0 leads. With the return of Barzagli, Prandelli reverted to his preferred set-up, earning a first victory of the campaign against Ireland and control of their quarter-final against England.

Key man: Andrea Pirlo was Italy's creative force at the 2006 FIFA World Cup and his influence remains as strong as ever. Throughout the tournament he has pulled the strings from midfield with his extensive range of passing and weighed in with significant contributions, such as the defense-splitting pass to set up Antonio Di Natale's goal against Spain, his trademark free-kick against Croatia and his nerveless 'Panenka'  penalty in the shoot-out against England. Alessandro Diamante said: "Even when tired Pirlo is the best midfielder in the world."

EURO semi-final record:

05/06/1968 Italy 0-0 USSR (aet, ITA won on coin toss) (Naples)

22/06/1988 USSR 2-0 Italy (Stuttgart)

29/06/2000 Italy 0-0 Netherlands (aet, ITA won 3-1 on pens) (Amsterdam)

Basecamp: The Azzurri are thriving under Prandelli's 24-match tenure. The Italy coach works his charges hard in training, yet they are relishing the expansive game they play and clearly get on well. In one training session Mario Balotelli and Di Natale clubbed together to trip up Antonio Cassano. "Oi, so you want me to get injured do you?" he screamed as he tried to catch up with his laughing team-mates; rivals for a starting place, the strikers, like all the players, seem to enjoy each other's company. "The atmosphere in the camp is good," Cassano told UEFA.com. "My team-mates and I are having fun but in the end it's results that count."

Record in Warsaw: Cassano has good reason to remember Warsaw fondly, but he may be the only Italian footballer that does. The AC Milan striker scored his first international goal there on his Italy debut in 2003, though his side lost that friendly 3-1. The Azzurri's only previous match in the city was a 0-0 UEFA European Championship qualifying draw in 1975.

Italian clubs have not generally enjoyed their trips to Warsaw – six UEFA club competition games between Legia and Serie A opponents have ended with just one win for the visitors, FC Internazionale Milano prevailing 1-0 in the 1985/86 UEFA Cup. The remaining five games ended in two defeats and three 1-1 draws, with the most recent – for Udinese Calcio in the 1999/2000 UEFA Cup – watched from the bench by Italy reserve keeper Morgan De Sanctis.

Room for improvement: Prandelli is trying to stop his side from reverting to their "gut instinct of defending a lead". After squandering 1-0 advantages against Spain and Croatia, he identified an age-old trait he is trying to expunge. "We dropped too deep, we subconsciously thought we could protect our lead," he said. "That is the mentality we need to change." Also, while the Azzurri are deserving semi-finalists as they have dominated possession in all but one of their matches, they have drawn three out four, largely as a result or profligacy in front of goal.

The view from home: "The best Italy team since the World Cup in Germany have reached the semi-finals of EURO 2012 on penalties. Really they deserved to win well before then but the suffering makes the news of this extraordinary Sunday all the better. This is an Italy that won with heart, class and determination." [La Gazzetta dello Sport].

Manchester City FC manager Roberto Mancini, meanwhile, added: "In the second half and extra time they squashed England; they crushed them, took their breath away, ready for the final blow, which oddly never came. Let me tell you now: Italy will reach the final, where they will play Portugal."

Mission statement: "We can play progressive football. As long as we try to take the initiative we are a good side. We become a side with a thousand fears if we try to protect a result." Prandelli's plans are clear.

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Mario Balotelli Italia - Semi Finalist Past in UEFA

Germany will Impose Themselves on Italy - Joachim Löw

"We did well against Greece but Italy are a different proposition," said Germany coach Joachim Löw, who urged his players to "seize the initiative" in Thursday's semi-final.

Germany coach Joachim Löw has underlined again that he wants his team to "seize the initiative" when they tackle rejuvenated Italy in Thursday's semi-final.

Seen as being a defensive side prior to the tournament, Italy have played a more expansive game during UEFA EURO 2012 even if they required penalties to eliminate England despite having 64% possession – a statistic Löw does not want to see repeated in Warsaw.

"We want to try to enforce our rhythm on Italy," he said. "It will be important to seize the initiative and try to force Italy to drop deep with our game. We want to act not react."

Germany have won 15 competitive matches in succession, a world record that stretches from the 2010 FIFA World Cup to the 4-2 quarter-final victory against Greece, yet Löw believes "we have to up the ante" to reach the final. "We did well against Greece but Italy are a different proposition," he added.

"We've all realized that Italy have a different team to 2010 and that there's been enormous development with the national team. [Andrea] Pirlo is having a sort of renaissance now. He's an outstanding footballer and an ingenious strategist. Man-marking him would not make sense, as he likes to drop very deep. They have shown extreme quality and lots of strengths in this tournament, but we also know where their problems are."

Löw shrugged off an indifferent record against the Azzurri. Germany have lost all their competitive meetings, including two World Cup semi-finals – the most recent on home soil in 2006. "Our players are different now, they don't care about a past match," said Löw, adding that it was "quite possible" that he would make more changes to his team after making three for the Greece tie.

Bastian Schweinsteiger is expected to play after seemingly shaking off an ankle problem. "Only 100% fit players will play, but everyone is fully fit right now and that goes for Bastian Schweinsteiger. He could have done better against Greece – he knows it, we all know it – but we need Bastian Schweinsteiger," Löw concluded.

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Germany will Impose Themselves on Italy - Joachim Löw