Italy vs Spain: which players remain from the Euro 2012 final?
Italy and Spain meet in the semi-finals of Euro 2020 on Tuesday, in a repeat of their clash in the European Championship final in 2012.
Across the Italy and Spain squads for the 2020 European Championship, there are just five survivors from the 2012 Euros, a tournament that saw the Spaniards thrash the Italians in the final.
Euro 2012 final win rounded off glorious period for Spain
Goals by David Silva, Jordi Alba, Fernando Torres and Juan Mata earned then-world champions Spain a memorable 4-0 win in the trophy decider in Kiev, as La Roja bookended a period of unprecedented domination by claiming a second straight European title.
Spain became the first team to win the European Championship twice in a row, and their Euro 2008-World Cup 2010-Euro 2012 treble makes them the only side to have ever been victorious in three straight major international tournaments.
Italy, Spain to meet in Euros semis in repeat of 2012 final
For the fourth consecutive Euros, Italy and Spain meet again in the competition in the 2020 semi-finals on Tuesday, in what will be both teams’ first appearance in the last four of either the European Championship or the World Cup since 2012.
Alba and Busquets Spain's survivors from 2012 campaign
Alba, who scored his first goal for Spain as Italy were swept aside in the Ukrainian capital nine years ago, is one of two Spanish survivors from Euro 2012, alongside current captain Sergio Busquets.
Both played every game in Ukraine and Poland, featuring for the full 90 minutes not only in the final, but also when Spain and Italy drew 1-1 in the group stage, Cesc Fàbregas’ goal cancelling out Antonio di Natale’s opener for the Azzurri.
Alba has also appeared in every match so far at Euro 2020 - his deflected strike giving Spain the lead in their quarter-final win over Switzerland - while Busquets missed La Roja’s first two games, draws with Sweden and Poland, after testing positive for covid-19.
Bonucci, Chiellini both featured for Italy in 2012 final
As for Italy, defenders and Juventus team-mates Leonardo Bonucci and Giorgio Chiellini both played at Euro 2012 and remain a part of the side that is preparing for this midweek’s semi-final showdown in London.
Like Alba and Busquets, Bonucci and Chiellini appeared in each of Italy and Spain’s two clashes in summer 2012, although the latter had to be replaced by Federico Balzaretti when he limped out of the final after just 20 minutes.
Bonucci has played five out of five at Euro 2020 for Italy, whose impressive progress through the tournament continued with a 2-1 quarter-final victory over Belgium. Meanwhile, injury forced Chiellini to sit out the wins over Wales and Austria, but he returned for Friday’s last-eight clash in Munich.
Another member of the current Italy squad who was at Euro 2012 is goalkeeper Salvatore Sirigu. The 34-year-old didn’t feature in Ukraine and Poland, but was given an appearance in this year’s group stage, coming on as a late substitute against Wales.