Titleholders Italy are out of UEFA Euro 2024 after a 2-0 loss to Switzerland in the round of 16 in Berlin on Saturday while host nation Germany march on to the semifinals after seeing off Denmark by the same score in Dortmund. Luciano Spalletti’s Azzurri side were second best from start to finish against Murat Yakin’s Nati with Remo Freuler and Ruben Vargas goals either side of halftime booking the Swiss a place in the quarterfinals.
Julian Nagelsmann’s men got lucky early in the second half of a weather-impacted clash with the Danes but a Kai Havertz penalty and a Jamal Musiala effort saw the Germans home. The Swiss will face the winners of England vs. Slovakia in Dusseldorf for their last eight matchup while Die Mannschaft await one of Spain or Georgia in Stuttgart.
However, regardless of the outcome, we can say that the round of 16 is going to form so far with Italy lucky to have been there after their late drama vs. Croatia in Group B and Germany fancied by many to reach the semifinals — if not better. Now that they are there, any potential surprise results will have to come elsewhere starting on Sunday with the Slovakians and the Georgians.
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Euro 2024 scores for Tuesday
Switzerland 2, Italy 0
Germany 2, Denmark 0
Germany 2, Denmark 0: Hosts march on
Making a welcome return to form on the international stage is Germany, who enter the quarterfinals as fancied hosts after a 2-0 win over Denmark. It was a tight opening 45 which was extended because of stormy weather at BVB Stadion Dortmund and the Danes thought that they had gone in front only for VAR to have other ideas.
However, Joachim Andersen went from potential hero to villain by gifting the Germans a penalty moments after his goal was ruled out and Havertz scored from the spot. Musiala added to that lead midway through the second half as the hosts broke with Kasper Hjulmand’s side looking for an elusive goal which summed up their miserly tournament.
Die Mannschaft, having made consecutive group stage exits at the FIFA World Cup since their 2014 triumph and exited Euro 2020 at the round of 16 stage, are into their first quarterfinals since 2016’s semifinal outing which ended with defeat at the hands of then-hosts France — also potential final four foes here.
Next up, though, either Spain or Georgia for Nagelsmann’s side which continues to thrive on the vocal support of their home country at every venue they have played at. Denmark showed that the German attack can be stifled but the Red and Whites had nowhere near enough quality in attack to really punish their hosts and are regressing after their 2020 semifinal outing.
Switzerland 2, Italy 0: Titleholders Azzurri crash out
Reigning champions Italy have been sent home in disarray after being downed by an impressive Switzerland in Berlin on Saturday. Luciano Spalletti’s men were poor in the German capital and made to pay by an efficient Swiss side which Murat Yakin has now led to the quarterfinals.
Remo Freuler opened the scoring after 37 minutes with a clinical finish from a Ruben Vargas assist and the Nati led by a goal at the break. Not even 60 seconds were on the clock in the second half before Vargas was teed up by Michel Aebischer to put the game beyond the Azzurri with a superb bent effort which beat Gianluigi Donnarumma emphatically.
The Italians could barely muster anything in response and the 2020 winners find themselves saying goodbye to their chances of a title defense. Federico Chiesa was a rare bright spark for Italy but overall it was a poor tournament for them which already required immense drama just to get here with a late equalizer against Croatia saving disaster in Group B.
Switzerland, though, knocked out France in 2020 and now Italy here as they reach their second consecutive quarterfinals as part of a three-tournament run of knockout phase appearances. That is on top of three straight round of 16 outings in the FIFA World Cup between 2014-2022 which marks a massive improvement on the international stage over the past 10 years.
For Italy, that is continued international tournament woe with the obvious exception of their 2020 triumph. In the same time that the Swiss have become lock in the latter stages of the Euros and World Cups, the Italians have been sent packing from one World Cup in the group stage — which itself was a second consecutive early exit — and failed to qualify for two more.
Although they have won one Euro and reached another final and quarterfinal in that time, that 2020 high and the 2012 final are outliers in what has been a fairly barren run since their 2006 World Cup win given the Azzurri’s rich pedigree. Spalletti is the latest head coach who needs to address this with what can hardly be considered a vintage pool of talent despite Serie A’s continental renaissance.
