Conferences between Spain and Italy hardly ever disappoint and this one was no exception — even when it was an personal objective that determined the competition.

Spain supervisor Luis de la Fuente described Thursday’s Euro 2024 Group B match as a “European Clasico” within the build-up, and his gamers definitely got here out motivated to impress.

They utterly dominated the primary half, and Italy solely went in degree at half-time due to a number of key saves from goalkeeper Gianluigi Donnarumma.

After the break, Spain’s luck modified and so they lastly discovered the objective they’d been pushing for when Italy defender Riccardo Calafiori become his personal internet after Donnarumma palmed out an Alvaro Morata header.

Defending champions Italy tried to reply however, in reality, the margin of defeat might need been larger — particularly if Athletic Bilbao winger Nico Williams’ beautiful curling strike from exterior the field had gone in with 20 minutes to play. As an alternative, it hit the bar.

Victory sees Spain progress to the knockout stage as group winners, whereas for Italy it’s all to play for towards Croatia on Monday.

Under, The Athletic’s Dermot Corrigan, Mark Carey and James Horncastle take us by way of the speaking factors of a pulsating encounter in Gelsenkirchen…