Switzerland caused a major upset in Euro 2024 by eliminating reigning champions Italy with a stunning 2-0 victory on Saturday, advancing to the quarter-finals for only the second time in their history.
Murat Yakin’s meticulously prepared team outclassed the lackluster Italian side in their round of 16 encounter in Berlin and now awaits either England or Slovakia in the next round.
The breakthrough for Switzerland came in the 37th minute when Ruben Vargas set up Remo Freuler to score their first goal. Vargas then added to Italy’s woes early in the second half with a superbly curled shot, extending Switzerland’s lead deservedly.
Italy, fielding a revamped squad without many of their star players who led them to Euro 2020 glory, struggled to mount a significant response against Switzerland’s energetic performance. Granit Xhaka, in commanding form following an outstanding season with Bayer Leverkusen, orchestrated play effectively for the Swiss, who rarely looked in danger of relinquishing their lead.
Italy coach Luciano Spalletti made six changes, including dropping Jorginho after disappointing performances in the group stage and introducing Nicolo Fagioli in midfield. However, these adjustments failed to invigorate the Azzurri, who scraped through the group phase with a late goal against Croatia.
Switzerland, buoyed by their confident display, dominated proceedings at the Olympiastadion in Berlin, where a more illustrious Italy had won the 2006 World Cup. Despite nostalgic anecdotes from former goalkeeper Gianluigi Buffon, now part of Italy’s delegation, Italy struggled to replicate their past glories, except for standout performances from goalkeeper Gianluigi Donnarumma.
Donnarumma’s heroics, including a crucial save from Breel Embolo’s attempt, could not prevent Freuler’s clinical finish in the first half, where Switzerland showcased their prowess with a meticulous build-up involving 33 passes.
As Switzerland aimed to match their best-ever Euro performance by reaching the quarter-finals, Italy’s hopes dimmed further when Vargas swiftly doubled Switzerland’s lead early in the second half. Despite late efforts from Italy, including Mateo Retegui’s shot on target and Gianluca Scamacca’s near miss, Switzerland held firm to secure their first victory against Italy since 1993, ending an 11-match winless streak against the Azzurri.
The result underlines Switzerland’s growing stature in European football, having previously held Germany to a draw in the group stage and eliminated France in the last 16 of the previous Euros, serving ample warning to their opponents.