As we reach the business end of Euro 2020, it’s been nothing short of an entertaining showcase. This edition of the tournament will arguably go down in history as one of the best in recent times. We’ve been spoilt with all sorts of drama, from a flurry of own goals to David & Goliath clashes that have seen the likes of Switzerland, Czech Republic, and Ukraine all progress to the last 8. Trying to live up to the dark horse label has proven to be a welcome challenge for some of these nations as they’ve taken the scalps of historical powerhouses along the way in the form of the Netherlands and favorites France.

Unsurprisingly though, on the other spectrum of things, your typical contenders; Spain, England, Italy and Belgium also find themselves in the quarterfinals, with the latter two being drawn together to face off for a place in the Semi-final. Having both seemingly breezed through the group stages, this serves up an enthralling encounter as the pair meet for the first time in the knockout phase of a major tournament in their history off the back of a contrasting recent couple of years.

        Italy

It’s been a renaissance of some sort for the Azzuri since Roberto Mancini took over in the Spring of 2018 following the team's failure to qualify for the World Cup in Russia. Seemingly hitting their peak as a team coming into this tournament, the Italians haven’t slowed down one bit, cruising through their group with 3 wins over Turkey, Wales and Switzerland respectively.