Euro 2008 - Mystic Matthaeus: Spain v Italy

Eurosport - Sun, 22 Jun 19:16:00 2008

Former Germany captain and Eurosport pundit Lothar Matthaeus gives us his thoughts on the Euro 2008 quarter-final between Spain and Italy.

2008 Sweden-Spain Fernando Torres, David Villa, Joan Capdevila - 0

Matthaeus, a World Cup winner with West Germany in 1990 and the most capped German player of all time, will be giving us his thoughts on every game throughout the three-week long tournament.

And he is certainly well placed to do so - as well as featuring at five World Cups, the former World and European Player of the Year has appeared at four European Championships, winning one, in 1980.

Lothar says: Spain 1-0 Italy

"Spain have had a great tournament so far, while Italy only managed to qualify for the quarter-finals at the last moment.

"It's time for Spain to win a big tournament. They have great players, especially their strikers, Torres and Villa, who have both been successful in the games so far. Those two will guarantee Spain win this game."

Suspended: Gennaro Gattuso, Andrea Pirlo (Italy)

Misses next match if booked: Carlos Marchena, Daniel Guiza, Alvaro Arbeloa (Spain); Giorgio Chiellini, Luca Toni, Daniele De Rossi, Gianluca Zambrotta (Italy)

Injured: Andrea Barzagli (Italy)

Changes: Spain coach Luis Aragones will revert to his first-choice line-up after fielding his reserves in the 2-1 win over Greece.

The only survivor is likely to be Andres Iniesta who played because of doubts over Santi Cazorla's fitness. Cesc Fabregas is set to return to the bench with Xavi marshalling the midfield.

Italy coach Roberto Donadoni is expected to bring in experienced duo Massimo Ambrosini and Mauro Camoranesi for suspended midfielders Andrea Pirlo and Gennaro Gattuso.

Simone Perrotta may drop back into midfield with Camoranesi playing just behind the forwards. Antonio Cassano is again favourite to partner Luca Toni up front.

Key stats: Spain will be hoping to emulate France (1984) as the only team to have won all three group games in the finals and gone on to lift the trophy.

Tournament leading scorer David Villa (v Russia) became the first player to score a hat-trick at a European Championship finals tournament since Netherlands striker Patrick Kluivert against Yugoslavia in the quarter-finals of Euro 2000.

Follow live text commentary on the game right here on eurosport.yahoo.com from 19:45 BST.

Eurosport

Comment 56 - 75 of 75

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  1. Singapore's FANDI AHMAD should play for Italy. This wonder boy can shoot accurately from 100 meters out and can outjump any defence. I's normal for FANDI AHMAD to jump higher than 15 feet!!! Chelsea is negotiating with his agent, Vincent Cobramaniam for close to 100 million Euros transfer fees!!! Good Luck to FANDI AHMAD!!!

    Fandi should play for ajax

    From Shaunitha, on Mon 23 Jun 12:27AM
  2. i see lothar is making more cautious predictions now.. perhaps he has learned it is better to state the obvious and tip spain (considering that spain has performed better in the groups than italy). although the predicted score is not right, as it NEVER is, the correct team went through. congratulations spain, and congrats lothar.

    From devil_88, on Sun 22 Jun 11:14PM
  3. bye-bye azzuri; hope not to see you soon:))

    From ottonescu, on Sun 22 Jun 10:26PM
  4. my prediction

    italy 3 - 1 spain

    From john27clark, on Sun 22 Jun 7:29PM
  5. Italy 3 Spain 2
    Luca Toni - 2
    Mauro Camoranesi - 1
    Who cares who scores for Spain?????

    From Jason Bosland, on Sun 22 Jun 7:18PM
  6. The Curse of the Group Winners will strike again tonight, mark my words. Combine this with the Malediction of the Brilliant (Overrated?) Spanish Team Who Never Get Past a Quarter-Final, and you'll get something like Spain 1, Italy 2. :(
    A Spain fan.

    From akhenaton, on Sun 22 Jun 7:14PM
  7. hah hah so lothat thinks spain will win 1-0, didnt he say that in the france-italy match, france would win 1-0. No chance for Spain tonight....buenas noches espana

    From londonboy1979, on Sun 22 Jun 7:04PM
  8. espara qui mona espanya e la torres e villa 3-1 ta espanya e italia zero

    From thestig97, on Sun 22 Jun 7:03PM
  9. come on spain!!! torres has gotta score with villa 3-1 to spain i should say
    and i lived there for 8 of my 11 years so i got the best reason to suporrt them.

    From thestig97, on Sun 22 Jun 6:53PM
  10. Really Glad to see Lothar tipping Spain as it means the Italians will win. Come on Luca Toni your due a goal or six

    From willmurray77, on Sun 22 Jun 6:19PM
  11. ESPAÑA!!!!!!!!1
    Italy better not play cheap ttoday!
    ill be @#$%.
    fukn toni better watch himself in that box
    i hope he gets a red card for any dive he does
    stupid Ities

    From fr0gnutz31, on Sun 22 Jun 6:11PM
  12. i am with spain
    spania is the best GO GO GO SPANIA OHHHHHHHHH

    From tamara t, on Sun 22 Jun 5:57PM
  13. C'MON SPAIN U CAN DO IT !!!!! TORRES, VILLA U CAN DO IT !!!!!! :)

    From helllerrre, on Sun 22 Jun 5:52PM
  14. @#$% Italy Go SPAIN...and i'm not even spanish i hate Italy's way of playing football, it's a disgrace

    From First L, on Sun 22 Jun 5:51PM
  15. screw you and your guts theory! The Spaniards will get over the hump and it ALL BEGINS TODAY!!!!! Italy, you will be our first of many bitches in the next few years. The HUMP WILL BE DESTROYED@@@@@@@

    From chester m, on Sun 22 Jun 5:31PM
  16. I want Spain to win but I don't think they will

    Toni will probably trip over his own feet and win a penalty .

    From lolqbabolq, on Sun 22 Jun 5:30PM
  17. A country that only does not recognised their other identities true feelings (Catalans, Galizians, Bascs etc), and allows their national teams like Scotland for example take part in international competitions; but obliged to play them national team, unless they would like to go to jail, should be expelled from any competition as it is breaking human rights they have to respect supposedly...Moreover, the players will play for the money and the international recognition, their hearts will be somewhere else, hence, they will not work as a collective, and that extra bit to win the competition will always be missing!

    I HOPE SPAIN LOSES FOREVER BECAUSE I WILL GET HEAVILY DRUNK TO CELEBRATE IT!

    From cogombra, on Sun 22 Jun 5:28PM
  18. Italy will win this match. Something lucky will happen to them such as Casillas spills an easy catch ball, an own goal or deflected shot/freekick (where the ball was hit so badly that it was going for a a throw in but instead someone put his foot out and the ball went right into the goal)

    From Ian M, on Sun 22 Jun 5:26PM
  19. A draw at 90 minutes will be the most acceptable result for tonight. In extra time or
    even PK, only God knows !

    From lonely trader, on Sun 22 Jun 5:14PM
  20. Italy will win 2-0,they are the world champions.As an Italian fan i believe italy will come on top ,show their quality and strenght aganist Spain

    From nonyaneronald, on Sun 22 Jun 5:14PM
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