Italy qualifies for the quarter-finals of Euro 2021: after 120 minutes of suffering, the national team led by Roberto Mancini manages to bend a tough Austria thanks to the goals of the substitutes Chiesa and Pessina.
At Wembley Stadium in London it is pure passion, but in the end the Azzurri manage to win. The opponents, led by Franco Foda, come out with their heads very high and frighten us for long stretches, bringing our team back down to earth.
So sterile possession of the ball in the first half, while in the second half not even that, with the ball often between the feet of the opponents, who go very close to the advantage a couple of times, if the Var had not come to meet us.
Eventually Mancini shuffled the cards and made the changes that proved decisive: first in Locatelli and Pessina, then also Belotti and Chiesa. And it is precisely the fourth and second to sign the two decisive goals in the first overtime, which allow the Azzurri to continue their run towards the final. But the next obstacle, in Munich, promises to be very tough: it will be the winner of the match between reigning champion Portugal and Belgium number one in the FIFA rankings.
How did the newspapers react to the new blue ride, now among the top eight in Europe? The three major sports newspapers highlight the image of the man of the day, Federico Chiesa, and his exultation surrounded by his companions.
"Lions of Italy" is the title of the Gazzetta Sportiva, which highlights the tenacity and the ability to know how to suffer. “Don't wake us up” is the title of Corriere dello Sport, which underlines how the dream can continue. “The heart in the goal” is instead the title of Tuttosport.
As for the general newspapers, we point out "Heart and grit - Italy celebrates" put on the front page by Corriere della Sera, while for La Repubblica "Italy suffers but continues to dream".
Article Euro 2021, Italy in the quarters with suffering! The front pages of the newspapers was first published on Sports Blog.
