Holders Italy have crashed out of Euro 2024, Luciano Spalletti’s champions falling to a limp 2-0 defeat to Switzerland of their last-16 conflict in Berlin.
Three years after lifting the trophy at Wembley, the European champions seemed a shadow of the crew that emerged to take the title in 2021.
They have been comfortably crushed on Saturday by a Swiss facet who superior to the quarter-finals of the European Championship for simply the second time of their historical past.
A purpose in every half from Remo Freuler and Ruben Vargas have been sufficient at hand Switzerland victory, with Murat Yakin’s gamers taking full benefit of Italy’s lethargy to arrange a last-eight assembly towards both England or Slovakia.
Switzerland dominated the ball early on and penned Italy into their half, but it surely took till halfway via the opening interval for a primary sight of purpose.
Breel Embolo timed his run completely to stay onside as he raced onto Fabian Rieder’s ball excessive. Opening up his physique, he sought to bend his effort contained in the far put up however was thwarted by a diving save from Gianluigi Donnarumma.
The opening purpose arrived after 37 minutes. Vargas collected the ball broad on the left and picked out Freuler arriving contained in the field. He allowed the ball to skip up into the air by way of a deft first contact earlier than hammering it in on the close to put up by way of a slight deflection from Gianluca Mancini.
Rieder hit an outstanding free-kick that just about caught out Donnarumma on the stroke of half-time, his bullet effort requiring a flying cease from Italy’s goalkeeper to show the ball towards a put up and behind.
Italy had been outplayed and inside seconds of the restart the rating higher mirrored Switzerland’s dominance.
Vargas took possession on the sting of the field and with the defence standing off him he took purpose and despatched an unstoppable effort spinning past Donnarumma’s attain and into the highest nook, simply 27 seconds into the second half.
There was almost an immediate reprieve for the holders when Swiss defender Fabian Schar inadvertently headed a cross towards his personal put up underneath seemingly little stress. Goalkeeper Yann Sommer was rooted because the ball struck his upright.
Gianluca Scamacca additionally hit a put up for Italy from solely three yards in a uncommon foray into the Swiss penalty space, however the holders exited the event with little resistance as Switzerland march on.
