Gianluigi Donnarumma admits Italy “made too many mistakes” in the 1-0 defeat to Spain, but their fate at EURO 2024 “is still in our hands”.
Although Luciano Spalletti had said he wanted his team to take the initiative, that did not happen in Gelsenkirchen.
La Roja dominated possession for most of the match and Donnarumma kept the score low, along with the woodwork, only surpassed by an unfortunate rebound from Riccardo Calafiori.
“We missed too many easy passes and didn’t show enough quality, so if you make so many mistakes you will be punished,” Donnarumma told RAI Sport and Sky Sport Italia.
“We are angry, but we have to use this determination in the last game.”
The three points send Spain to the round of 16 as group winners, but a point against Croatia on Monday would be enough to secure second place.
This is because even if Albania were to beat Spain, the Azzurri have a superior record in head-to-head matches.
Donnarumma has faith in Italy
“Our destiny is still in our hands, we must not see this as a total disaster. We have a lot to do against Croatia, but I am convinced that we can do it.
“The attitude was right, we worked hard – maybe we didn’t work well, but we worked a lot – and we know we have to do better. We were aggressive, but our biggest mistakes were made when we had possession, as we lost it too easily again.
“In the last 10 or 15 minutes we did better, we made them run, but we should have done it much sooner. If you let Spain take the initiative throughout the game, they will run away.”
Italy beat Spain in the EURO 2020 semi-final on penalties, but how have the teams changed since then?
“I think we were too quick in trying to advance and they also pressed well, so we couldn’t keep the ball or take the pressure off. Spain is a great team, we all know that if you let them pass they will hurt you.”
Although the final possession statistics were only 57 percent to 43, it certainly didn’t feel that way during the match, when Spain constantly pinned the Nazionale.
