Euro 2020: Chiellini and Bonucci have Italy’s back

GUWAHATI: “Mr. (Leonardo) Bonucci and Mr. (Giorgio) Chiellini could give some Harvard University classes about how to be a central defender,” Jose Mourinho, then Manchester United manager said in a press conference shortly after his side was beaten 1-0 at Old Trafford by Juventus in a Champions League group stage game in October 2018.

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“Juventus have a different level of quality and stability and experience and knowhow and at the base of the team, they have Bonucci and Chiellini,” said Mourinho. “That’s the base that allows them to play with the freedom that they play in attack.”

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The duo, which has been together at Juventus for 10 of the last 11 seasons – the only season they weren’t was 2017-18 when Bonucci left for Milan only to return the next season – is now serving as the reliable base for an Italian national team that is just two steps away from winning its second European Championship and the first in over 50 years.

Friday night’s display in which Italy nullified Belgium’s vaunted attack led by Romelu Lukaku, with Kevin De Bruyne just behind, for a 2-1 win, showed yet again the kind of defensive assurance that Chiellini and Bonucci, with a combined age of 70, bring to the Italian side.

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Make no mistake, Roberto Mancini’s Italy are much more than just their famous centre-back pairing. In fact, this was only the second full game in this tournament that they completed as a pair. After the opener against Turkey, skipper Chiellini had limped off against Switzerland and missed the last group game against Wales and the round-of-16 clash against Austria.

This is an Italian side unlike any other in recent memory. The attack has been ruthless at times, with the likes of Lorenzo Insigne, Ciro Immobile, Domenico Berardi and Federico Chiesa seamlessly fitting into a flexible set-up under Mancini. Jorginho in midfield has been consistently putting in near-flawless performances while left-back Leonardo Spinazzola has been one of the best players in the tournament prior to his muscle injury on Friday, one which could sideline him for months.

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Star midfielder Marco Verratti has lived up to his reputation as well and Nicolo Barella has carried his rich vein of form from Inter. The likes of Manuel Locatelli, Andrea Belotti, Matteo Pessina, Bryan Cristante, Alessandro Bastoni, among others, have also added tremendous depth to a squad filled with quality.

Then there’s also Gianluigi Donnarumma in goal. But, like Mourinho said of Juventus, Italy’s confidence all across the pitch comes from having one of the best centre-back pairings in world football. The quarter-final in Munich illustrated why. With Italy 2-0 up and Belgium seemingly rattled after goals from Barella and Insigne, a Giovanni Di Lorenzo shove on Jeremy Doku saw the world number 1 side earn a penalty just at the stroke of half-time.

As Lukaku converted the penalty, it seemed like the worst possible time for Italy to have conceded a goal. However, the manner in which they responded in the second half showed the kind of maturity that is characteristic of title-winning teams.

The Italian defence, led by the 36-year-old Chiellini and the 34-year-old Bonucci, negotiated the Belgian threat well, keeping Lukaku quiet for most of the half, although the latter did come close to scoring but for a fortunate block by Spinazzola.

Barring the odd run by Doku, Belgium never got going in the second half. De Bruyne’s influence too waned. Roberto Matinez’s team posed the toughest test for Italy in this tournament so far; perhaps they won’t face one sterner even if they are to win this tournament.

Without the calming influence of Italy’s central defensive duo, the reaction to the late first-half penalty may not have been the same. The maturity to keep Lukaku’s presence limited to tight spaces, to not let his hold-up play and positional awareness create space for Doku, De Bruyne or Dries Mertens, may not have been there.

“Nights like this tell me that we’re becoming a really good team. We showed solidity, a spirit of sacrifice and that Italian heart,” Chiellini told reporters after the game.

“Now we will rest and go again at Wembley. We believe,” he added, referring to the semi-final against Spain on Tuesday night.

Unlike their meeting in the final of the 2012 edition, Italy, who are now unbeaten in their last 32 games and have won their last 13, will start as favourites for this clash. Through the summer, Spain have shown flashes of brilliance but also struggled at times and Friday’s victory over Switzerland via penalties was no different.

However, as Bonucci said after the win against Belgium, Italy will know not to take Luis Enrique’s side lightly. “Now we continue to dream, but with our feet on the ground,” he said. “We started the European Championship with a dream in the drawer, let’s leave it there. We have a match against Spain, a national team that didn’t look like going all the way, but got back up. It will be a great match.”

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