Italy Face Switzerland Test After Stumbling Into Euro 2024 Last 16

Champions Italy take on Switzerland in the Euro 2024 last 16 on Saturday after making it through the group phase by the skin of their teeth. The Azzurri needed a 98th minute equaliser from relative unknown Mattia Zaccagni against Croatia to secure second spot in Group B, five points behind tournament standard-setters Spain. Coach Luciano Spalletti said his team deserved to progress but undermined those words by criticising players for a timid performance in their final group game.

The 65-year-old coach also lashed out against media and anybody putting pressure on his side, with his performative outrage perhaps an attempted distraction from his inability to get the two-time winners firing.

At times contradicting himself, Spalletti also claimed his team had been improving through the tournament.

"Thus far everything they've done has been getting better, from my perspective," he said.

However to the outside world his new-look Italy seem unconvincing and a significant downgrade on the side that triumphed at Euro 2020 -- where they beat Switzerland 3-0 in the group phase.

Both goalscorers that day, Manuel Locatelli with a brace and Ciro Immobile, were left out of the squad by Spalletti, along with midfielder Marco Verratti.

Key defenders Leonardo Bonucci and Giorgio Chiellini have retired and Juventus forward Federico Chiesa has been far from his best.

Lazio forward Zaccagni, 29, insisted his team could take a step forward in the knock-out rounds.

"Now we're just thinking about preparing for a very important match against Switzerland," he told UEFA's website on Thursday.

"We have always known that the national team often suffers and then comes out in the moments that count. And now we expect just that from ourselves."

Murat