Italy drew 0-0 with Ukraine in their final match in Group C of their European qualifiers, thereby securing their spot at the Euro 2024 tournament. While the reigning Euro champions tied with Ukraine on 14 points each, they managed to clinch second place in the group due to a better head-to-head record. Italy defeated Ukraine 2-1 in the reverse fixture.

For Luciano Spalletti and his team, it was a difficult road to Euro 2024 qualification. England were the runaway winners of the group, defeating Italy 2-1 in their first clash and then thumping the Azzurri 3-1 in their second match.

While Ukraine came within touching distance of qualifying when Mykhailo Mudryk was brought down in the penalty area in stoppage time, the referee ultimately decided against awarding a penalty, meaning that the game would remain goalless. “Ukraine showed that they are an equipped team and they gave us a hard time,” Spalletti conceded.

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After seeing the postponement of the season in March bring a sudden halt to the league, Italy’s Serie A soccer competition will allow its teams to return to group training on May 18th.

The COVID-19 pandemic, which had an especially severe impact in the country of Italy, has kept teams away from the field and from practice facilities since March 9th. Players have been forced to train individually at their homes in order to prevent the spread of the virus.

With the number of cases and deaths now falling in Italy and across Europe, the league has now given teams preliminary guidelines about their returns to the pitch.

Teams will begin to be able to work with players on an individual, non-team basis for training on May 4th. However, teams will not be allowed to congregate and practice in a group setting at team facilities until May 18th, over two months after the last time that teams were together.

Italy plans to resume play for its league sometime in June, however, the plans do not include games played with fans in the stands.

Juventus currently holds a one-point lead for the Scudetto in front of upstart Lazio. This race, as well as the race for the final two Champions League spots, are worth keeping an eye on once the league resumes play.

The post Serie A Teams to Return to Training on May 18th appeared first on SportzBonanza.

On the first day of the second stage at the FIBA World Cup in China, former Euro champions Spain defeated Italy with a final result of 67-60. In a tough match with low points, Italy started the match by outscoring their rivals 15-5, forcing Scariolo to call his first time-out. After the short break, Italy made some changes and that backfired, as Spain made a 13-3 run, ending the first period with an 18-18 tie. 

In the second period, both of the team’s defenses were tough and the Italians won out with a narrow 12-13. After half-time, both teams started with a lot of misses from the field, with Spain making some shots and winning the 3^rd quarter with 20-17 score, making it harder for Italy as the pressure rose until the end, knowing that a loss would send the Azzuri home. In the last period, Spain scored only 2 points in the first 6 minutes, allowing Italy to take a 4-point lead which forced Spain’s coach to take a time-out. Like in the first half, Spain made a 10-0 run, taking back a 62-56 lead in the final 2 minutes. With this loss, Italy goes home, while Spain advances to the next round. 

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Italian goalkeeper Gianluigi Buffon answered critics after he reversed his decision to retire from international football.

The 40-year-old had been hoping to retire after the 2018 world cup but ended his career after the Italians failed to qualify for the event after falling to a 1-0 aggregate defeat against Sweden during the playoffs.

After reversing his decision to retire from the national team duty, Buffon has subsequently been retained as national team captain by interim boss Luigi Di Biagio and will lead the side during their friendly internationals against Argentina and England.

Buffon who won the 2006 world cup and who holds a European record 175 national team appearances said: “I’ve nothing to add to what has been said. Everyone knows the truth. My role in the squad has always been positive and I’ve always brought people together. I’ve always put us before me. I’m not here to showcase, to show myself off. I can still be useful. I might be 40 but I’m the goalkeeper of Juventus. Italy is a funny country where people enjoy controversy but any controversy about me is just sensationalism. After a while, all this controversy will just fall away.”

The post Italian goalkeeper Buffon hits out at critics appeared first on SportzBonanza.

Italy drew 0-0 with Ukraine in their final match in Group C of their European qualifiers, thereby securing their spot at the Euro 2024 tournament. While the reigning Euro champions tied with Ukraine on 14 points each, they managed to clinch second place in the group due to a better head-to-head record. Italy defeated Ukraine 2-1 in the reverse fixture.

For Luciano Spalletti and his team, it was a difficult road to Euro 2024 qualification. England were the runaway winners of the group, defeating Italy 2-1 in their first clash and then thumping the Azzurri 3-1 in their second match.

While Ukraine came within touching distance of qualifying when Mykhailo Mudryk was brought down in the penalty area in stoppage time, the referee ultimately decided against awarding a penalty, meaning that the game would remain goalless. “Ukraine showed that they are an equipped team and they gave us a hard time,” Spalletti conceded.

The post Italy Qualifies for Euro 2024 appeared first on SportzBonanza.

After seeing the postponement of the season in March bring a sudden halt to the league, Italy’s Serie A soccer competition will allow its teams to return to group training on May 18th.

The COVID-19 pandemic, which had an especially severe impact in the country of Italy, has kept teams away from the field and from practice facilities since March 9th. Players have been forced to train individually at their homes in order to prevent the spread of the virus.

With the number of cases and deaths now falling in Italy and across Europe, the league has now given teams preliminary guidelines about their returns to the pitch.

Teams will begin to be able to work with players on an individual, non-team basis for training on May 4th. However, teams will not be allowed to congregate and practice in a group setting at team facilities until May 18th, over two months after the last time that teams were together.

Italy plans to resume play for its league sometime in June, however, the plans do not include games played with fans in the stands.

Juventus currently holds a one-point lead for the Scudetto in front of upstart Lazio. This race, as well as the race for the final two Champions League spots, are worth keeping an eye on once the league resumes play.

The post Serie A Teams to Return to Training on May 18th appeared first on SportzBonanza.

On the first day of the second stage at the FIBA World Cup in China, former Euro champions Spain defeated Italy with a final result of 67-60. In a tough match with low points, Italy started the match by outscoring their rivals 15-5, forcing Scariolo to call his first time-out. After the short break, Italy made some changes and that backfired, as Spain made a 13-3 run, ending the first period with an 18-18 tie. 

In the second period, both of the team’s defenses were tough and the Italians won out with a narrow 12-13. After half-time, both teams started with a lot of misses from the field, with Spain making some shots and winning the 3^rd quarter with 20-17 score, making it harder for Italy as the pressure rose until the end, knowing that a loss would send the Azzuri home. In the last period, Spain scored only 2 points in the first 6 minutes, allowing Italy to take a 4-point lead which forced Spain’s coach to take a time-out. Like in the first half, Spain made a 10-0 run, taking back a 62-56 lead in the final 2 minutes. With this loss, Italy goes home, while Spain advances to the next round. 

The post Spain Eliminates Italy at FIBA World Cup to Advance to the Quarterfinals appeared first on SportzBonanza.

Italian goalkeeper Gianluigi Buffon answered critics after he reversed his decision to retire from international football.

The 40-year-old had been hoping to retire after the 2018 world cup but ended his career after the Italians failed to qualify for the event after falling to a 1-0 aggregate defeat against Sweden during the playoffs.

After reversing his decision to retire from the national team duty, Buffon has subsequently been retained as national team captain by interim boss Luigi Di Biagio and will lead the side during their friendly internationals against Argentina and England.

Buffon who won the 2006 world cup and who holds a European record 175 national team appearances said: “I’ve nothing to add to what has been said. Everyone knows the truth. My role in the squad has always been positive and I’ve always brought people together. I’ve always put us before me. I’m not here to showcase, to show myself off. I can still be useful. I might be 40 but I’m the goalkeeper of Juventus. Italy is a funny country where people enjoy controversy but any controversy about me is just sensationalism. After a while, all this controversy will just fall away.”

The post Italian goalkeeper Buffon hits out at critics appeared first on SportzBonanza.