Spain

The Italians have given us so much entertainment this tournament that we just want it to continue. They could have blown tournament favourites Belgium off the park in the first half, but instead let their opponents back in the game and made it tough for themselves. Spain were taken all the way by the surprise package Switzerland in the quarter-finals and will need to be much better to give themselves any chance of making it through this top-billing semi-final. This game promises to be an encounter between two teams who are desperate to show their people that they are worthy of adoration and single-minded support and defeat is unthinkable. While the big money will be on Italy, the smart money will be on Spain and I’m going for what sounds like an upset, but in reality is just a recalibration of the natural pecking order in European football. Spain to soak up enormous pressure and Pau Torres to leap the highest to power home a header from a rare corner. The rest of the game will be a niggly affair. The increasing play-acting and professional time-wasting from the Spanish will prompt the Italians to take the higher moral ground (as if they wouldn’t do the same thing). A late send off for Spain will allow Italy to take off the shackles for one frantic final push, but it won’t be enough as Dani Olmo comes off the bench to sneak a second in injury time on the break. Cue weeping from the blue corner and pure ecstasy from the red corner.