ITALIAN TV presenter DILETTA LEOTTA delivers her verdict on the Euro 2020 final.
ENGLAND vs Italy is the final I was hoping for right from the start of Euro 2020.
Two teams that have distinguished themselves during this journey for the variety of talent to tap into, the technical qualities of each player, but above all for the ability to create a solid and compact group that has allowed them to overcome any adversity.
If this had not been the case, it would have been impossible for Italy to achieve 33 consecutive wins under the guidance of Roberto Mancini.
We are two steps away from Spain’s absolute record, when they were unbeaten for 35 matches, between February 2007 and June 2009.
Thanks to that winning streak, Spain also won a European Championship. And this is what I hope will also happen for Italy.
But it will not be easy to face England at Wembley, in their home stadium and among their fans.
England have an iron defence: in six games has conceded only one goal, moreover from a free kick in the semifinals against Denmark.
In attack, Gareth Southgate’s team can then count on the strength and speed of Harry Kane and Raheem Sterling, two champions that I would like to see one day in Italy, and maybe be able to interview on my DAZN show, Linea Diletta.
Complete, technically strong and both explosive even if with different physical attributes… in a few words, a guarantee of goals and entertainment.
And speaking of entertainment, I am amazed that a talent like Marcus Rashford is not among the starting players.
I think he is one of the best strikers in Europe, together with Kylian Mbappe and Erling Haaland. He has technique, speed, power and creativity.
So I hope Southgate will leave him on the bench on Sunday night too.
If England and Italy are both expected to do well, the surprises of this Euros for me is certainly Hungary, one step away from qualifying in the group stage, and above all Denmark, united and proud around Christian Eriksen.
I hope the final will be a great party, obviously painted in blue colours, preceded with Matteo Berrettini winning at Wimbledon.
This will definitely make for a great Sunday, to live waiting for good news from London with my heart in my throat.
In case of a double win, it would also become a Sunday for the history books.
However, as they say in these cases, “may the best win”, even if as an Italian I hope that the best are the Azzurri.
Source: Soccer - thesun.co.uk
