Even when choosing sides, Italy’s captain shows his size
Status: 3:29 p.m.
Italy in the final – The penalty drama against Spain in the video
Italy saved themselves against strong Spaniards by taking penalties into the European Championship final. On the Spanish side, of all things, the previous shooter failed to compensate for the nerves. Italy’s Jorginho snotty converted the decisive penalty. The highlights here in the video.
Italy wins the European Championship semi-finals against Spain. Before the penalty shootout, Giorgio Chiellini makes a grand entrance. When choosing sides, he even makes the Spanish captain and the German referee laugh.
Giorgio Chiellini had 120 minutes in his bones. The defense chief of the Italians had thrown himself in shots in the EM semifinals against Spain, slipped balls away and beheaded crosses from the penalty area. After the 1-1 draw it went to penalties. Italy’s captain would have had every reason to be tense, after all, the top favorite was about to end at the European Championship. But the 36-year-old became the mood cannon when choosing a place and even infected the German referee with his good mood.
Felix Brych was already at the center line with his assistants and was waiting for Chiellini with Spain’s captain Jordi Alba to clarify the terms of the penalty shoot-out.
Chiellini (left) is in high spirits before the penalty shoot-out
Source: Pool via REUTERS
Chiellini came trotting up in a good mood and first of all put an arm warmly around Alba’s shoulder, and then smilingly asked Brych for details about the coin toss.
Even Alba and Brych laugh
The referee let the coin fly through the air. When it landed on the ground, both captains were certain that the penalty shoot-out would take place before their respective fan turns. Alba gestured seriously to the right, Chiellini to the left. The Italian had a big grin on his face and infected Alba and Brych.
Chiellini took the situation with humor, joked, shoved the Spaniard amicably and shouted “Liar, liar!”. After all, the defensive boss of the Italians was right. He was so happy about the choice of sides that he gave Alba a warm hug and clapped the referees. A warm and unusual gesture just before the nerve-wracking penalty shoot-out. Then he also won the coin toss when it came to deciding which team to put the first shooter.
Chiellini gives Alba a warm hug
Quelle: Getty Images/Laurence Griffiths
He then went back to his team, Italy’s captain hugged the players and coach and swore them to the penalty shoot-out. In the semifinals on the field and off the pitch, the 36-year-old showed once again that he is leading the way and that he is a real captain. During the penalty shootout, he stood arm in arm with his teammates. After the victory was established, he celebrated only briefly before going to the Spaniards to console them.
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