Euro 2020: Consistency monsters Italy now the team to beat after group stage domination
Thirty games! That’s the number of matches Italy have played without tasting defeat. It’s actually been almost three years since the Azzurri lost a game.
And they’ve carried that same rich vein of form into Euro 2020. For a team that has underperformed at almost every major tournament since Euro 2012, Italy have been outstanding at Euro 2020.
Under Roberto Mancini, the Azzurri have once again become world beaters. They may not have entered the tournament as one of the favorites, but Italy have now pushed themselves into that list.
It’s not just about their results at the tournament; it’s more about how organized they are, how dominant, and how easily they seem to take down their opponents.
Also read: David James column - Top 5 favorites to win Euro 2020
Azzurri maintain 100% record in group stage
Italy arrived at Euro 2020 as dark horses. Paired against Turkey, Switzerland and Wales in Group A, they were widely expected to get tough competition.
Not only have the Azzurri made light work of all their opponents, but they’ve also recorded some impressive numbers on their way to topping the group.
Italy completed the group phase with a 100% win record, having chalked victories in all three matches. They also impressively scored seven goals and conceded none.
For a team that was considered dark horses, these are statistics that immediately put them in a different standing. They’ve simply been outstanding and can no longer be underrated.
Italy now the team to beat
As it stands, only Belgium, the Netherlands and Italy have managed to navigate their way through the group stage unscathed. However, only one of the aforementioned teams has been dominant.
The Azzurri are now undoubtedly the team to beat at Euro 2020. They’ve been unreal in the last couple of months and are reaping the rewards of their consistency.
Mancini, though, remains grounded despite their bright start to the tournament. Italy’s 30-game unbeaten run sees them equal a record that has stood for decades, but their coach believes winning a trophy is more important than any record.
"It's nice to have equalled a legend like Pozzo. But he has more important trophies than the 30 games," Mancini said, as quoted by Besoccer.
"We are happy because all the players had a great game and changing eight players at kick-off, it was not necessarily an obvious thing to do. I would have changed even if the game had been decisive, I needed fresh strength in the game. We had to gain some minutes," he added.
Italy seem to be enjoying themselves at Euro 2020. Their brand of football has been entertaining and, even better, they’re scoring and not conceding. What a dream of a team they are!
Also Read: Paul Merson's column - 5 surprise packages of Euro 2020 so far
Fabrizio Romano, Jim Beglin, Paul Merson and David James are now Sportskeeda Experts! Check here