1′ Spain get this Nations League semi-final underway!
The two teams come out onto the pitch at a lively San Siro and stand for their respective national anthems. Both teams will play in their traditional home colours: Italy in savoy blue and white, Spain in red and dark blue.
Spain take a similarly serious approach, naming seven of the same players from that game. Pau Torres, Alonso, Gavi and Sarabia are the four changes. Gavi becomes his country’s youngest ever starter at just 17 years old.
Italy name a strong 11 similar to the one that faced Spain in July. There are just two changes to their team from that game with Bastoni and Bernardeschi starting ahead of Chiellini and the injured Ciro Immobile.
SUBS: Sergio Reguilon, Eric Garcia, Yeremi Pino, Bryan Gil, Sergi Roberto, Robert Sanchez, David de Gea, Mikel Merino, Pedro Porro, Rodrigo, Pablo Fornals, Inigo Martinez.
SPAIN (4-3-3): Unai Simon; Cesar Azpilicueta, Aymeric Laporte, Pau Torres, Marcos Alonso; Koke, Sergio Busquets (c), Gavi; Pablo Sarabia, Ferran Torres, Mikel Oyarzabal.
SUBS: Salvatore Sirigu, Davide Calabria, Moise Kean, Manuel Locatelli, Alex Meret, Giorgio Chiellini, Lorenzo Pellegrini, Bryan Cristante, Giacomo Raspadori, Federico Dimarco, Francesco Acerbi, Domenico Berardi.
ITALY (4-3-3): Gianluigi Donnarumma; Giovanni Di Lorenzo, Leonardo Bonucci (c), Alessandro Bastoni, Emerson; Nicolo Barella, Jorginho, Marco Verratti; Federico Chiesa, Federico Bernardeschi, Lorenzo Insigne.
Luis Enrique’s Spain gave the Italians as good as they got in that 1-1 draw at Euro 2020 and would have been worthy winners themselves. The winners of this game will go on to face Belgium or France at this stadium this weekend. Let’s hope it’s as good a spectacle as their previous meeting was.
The last semi-final Italy and Spain contested was just three months ago in the semi-finals of Euro 2020, a match Italy won on penalties as they went on to become European champions. Now Roberto Mancini’s men are looking to become the second ever winners of the Nations League as they host the finals on home soil.
Hello! Welcome to our live text commentary of this UEFA Nations League semi-final between Italy and Spain at San Siro, Milan.
2′ Spin start the game on the front foot as Ferran Torres fires a cross towards the box from the right. It floats over the head of Oyarzabal and out for an Italy throw-in.