Semi-finals are here and we can say most things went according to the general plan: Italy is in the last four, Spain and Germany are probably the strongest national teams in the world and Portugal has to be taken pretty seriously, once they have the best player in the competition. In the other hand, England was the predictable flop, France was just a mistake, Greece in quarter-finals was some kind of paranormal phenomenon and Czech Republic almost made a shoot on goal against Portugal. I can’t say these were surprises.
Pirlo. I just had to say it. It would be unfair if there was any other word in the beginning of this paragraph. Because Pirlo is just great. That penalty just shook the English. And Italians deserved to pass. All except one: Mario Balotelli. A fraud of a player who constantly deceits football lovers: as easily he scores with an impressive bicycle kick, as he does miss four chances in a row with an open goal. Add this to his charming character and you’ll get a perfect combo. Italy will now face Germany. The Germans have won the whole four games they played in the Euro. Italy - because it’s Italy - won only once. But they still managed to get to semis. Didn’t I tell you? I surely did. Just read the team profiles.
In the other semi-final, at Donetsk Donbass Arena – just prove me this is not a tribute to Balotelli -, we have an Iberian clash. We all know Spain is Europe’s and World’s champion so it is legit to assume they have the best team of Peninsula Iberica. What we all also know is that the spanish game is such a bore and we’d have Cristiano’s tricks and goals, the next first of July in Kiev, rather than the dull and repetitive “oh no, please, Andrés you take the ball; oh, no, no, not at all, dear Xavi, you take the ball” during approximately 87 minutes of the final.
Now, if someone is reading me: who do you think will manage to reach Kiev? I’d say Portugal and Italy. Feel free to disagree.
Chibazqui