Ranking Spain's 5 best players against Italy | UEFA Nations League semi-final
Italy and Spain went head-to-head in the first semi-final of the UEFA Nations League on Wednesday night at the San Siro Stadium. The rematch of the EURO 2020 semi-final saw Spain settle the scores in regular time, clinching a well-deserved 2-1 win.
European champions Italy were the favorites to book a spot in the UEFA Nations League final on Sunday. However, the dismissal of Leonardo Bonucci in the 42nd minute never gave them the chance to get going.
Ferran Torres scored both goals for the visitors in the UEFA Nations League last-four fixture, once again showing why he is so highly rated. Lorenzo Pellegrini reduced the arrears in the 83rd minute, but it was too little too late for Italy.
The goals were only a part of the story; there were many exceptional Spanish performances on Wednesday night in Milan.
Today, we will take a closer look at the match and give you our top-five standout performers for Spain in the UEFA Nations League semi-final. Now, without further ado, let's get to it.
#5 Sergio Busquets
Barcelona and Spain captain Sergio Busquets has come under fire for his lack of dynamism. The defensive midfielder has had a hard time adjusting to the frantic pace of the game, which has resulted in sub-par displays.
But on Wednesday, Italy did not get the chance to make him uncomfortable, allowing Busquets to take command of the midfield.
Currently, Busquets at Barcelona and Busquets at Spain are completely different players. The power of systems in football.
Throughout the UEFA Nations League semi-final clash, Busquets did not put a step wrong and adjusted the tempo as he saw fit. He beat Italy’s aggressive pressing with ease and was in complete sync with the attack and defense.
He was dispossessed a couple of times, but those did not lead to anything substantial for Italy.
#4 Marcos Alonso
Chelsea’s recent woes in England and Europe have put every Blues player under the microscope. Marcos Alonso, who started for Spain in the UEFA Nations League semi-final against Italy, was no exception. Fortunately, he did not crumble under pressure and put in an excellent shift against the Azzurri.
Alonso was arguably the most versatile player on the pitch on Wednesday. Not only did he link fantastically with Mikel Oyarzabal down the left, but he also used his physicality to neutralize Italy’s attacking intentions.
The best LB in the world right now…Marcos Alonso https://t.co/bxvt64MhuV
He was instrumental in both the goals and did not let his energy drop even for a second over the 90 minutes. With Jordi Alba ruled out of the final, Alonso should once again get the nod to start on the left.
Another performance of this caliber will take Spain a lot closer to their first UEFA Nations League title.