Italy vs Spain: a classic fixture on the road to the final at Wembley

It feels like an old-fashioned fixture, but it's being contested by two very modern sides. Italy and Spain are due to face off against each other at Wembley Stadium tonight with a ticket for Sunday's final on the line. Despite both countries having an illustrious past in international tournaments, Roberto Mancini and Luis Enrique have opted to break from the traditional approaches of their respective national sides. This match is unlikely to be a repeat of past fixtures, with attacking football played at breakneck speed set to dominate this semi-final.

Luis Enrique was clear about this from the very start. The beginning of his project can be traced back to the same Wembley Stadium where, in 2018, he took his first game as Spain Head Coach against England at the start of the UEFA Nations League. The Asturian-born manager took all three points home with a dizzying style of play, which he has maintained to the present day. While the players have changed, the style has remained constant. Namely, the 4-3-3 that he learned at Barça with a clear preference for attacking play, a high press and a desire to create constant threats around the opposition's box.

This style has worked wonders for them over the last year. Spain is just one step away from a title, as is already the case in the UEFA National League. The national side has already qualified for the 'Final Four' of this competition, with games due to be held in Milan and Turin in October, and is now one match away from the European Championship final, set to be played at Wembley this Sunday.

La historia, a favor

La Roja will be relying on their style of play and excellent team spirit to fight for this final. However, they can also learn lessons from past glories. Spain is looking to win the European Championships for the fifth time, after winning their last four finals in this competition.

At the semi-final stage, Spain beat Hungary in 1964 (2-1), Denmark in 1984 (on penalties, after drawing the game 1-1), Russia in 2008 (4-1) and Portugal in 2012 (winning on penalties after drawing 0-0, with Fabregas scoring the winner). After these four victories, Spain went on to lift the trophy on three occasions. The only year they didn't emerge victorious was in 1984, when goalkeeper Arconada fumbled a Michel Platini free kick. On that occasion, France ran out 2-0 winners.

In any case, the squad knows that they are within touching distance of something incredible, when nobody gave them much of a chance at the start of the competition. Spain began EURO 2020 with two disappointing draws against Sweden and Poland respectively, which set off the alarm bells. The team needed to play with the handbrake off against Slovakia, and since then everything has been working in their favour.

Spain has needed to overcome two difficult opponents in the shape of Croatia and Switzerland, helping to give players experience of important knock-out fixtures: the sort of games that some members of the squad won't have played in their careers. Now they need to take this final step, in a match that all of Europe will have its eyes on.