Italy midfielder Marco Verratti highlighted the excitement of facing England at Wembley in the Euro 2020 finals.
Speaking to gathered reporters in a press conference (via TuttoMercatoWeb.com) earlier today, the 28-year-old Italian midfielder looked ahead to Sunday’s final against England.
We watched the game together. England are physical, they have players who are also technically good. They deserved this final.
Fear? I don’t know. It will be a final, we will both want to win, we will meet a great team. They play at home, in a stadium they know well. It would be a dream to win it like that.
He touched on the excitement of playing at Wembley.
Many are used to this atmosphere, it will give us strength too. To play in a great stadium, in a European Championship final, there will be great stimuli.
The Paris Saint-Germain midfielder touched on how this tournament has helped Italy regain footballing respect internationally.
The French newspapers are happy for us, we lacked credibility. In this path we have found the place where Italy must always be.
Verratti spoke about the squad’s preparations for the final.
It’s easy to prepare. Whoever plays from the start or just one minute will give his life for this team. These are moments that, although I hope not, may never happen again.
There’s no need to fear the match, everyone will be at one hundred percent. You have to win some games and they want to win them too, they’ve never won.
It’s the details that will be crucial, we have to concentrate on the game and forget about the rest. There is pressure, the team that wants to have more fun, to take it more lightly, can have a big advantage.
He revealed that Azzurri shot-stopper Gianluigi Donnarumma will be joining PSG on a free transfer.
Donnarumma is proving to be a great goalkeeper, he deserves to be in a top European club. He deserves the Champions League which is our goal, I’m happy for him and for the team, he can give you so much.
The Italian midfielder also touched on PSG’s signing of Sergio Ramos.
He’s shown he’s a champion, he’s won everything in his career and he can help us. I’m happy that he chose the PSG project, it shows what a great job we are doing.
We’re doing a great job, I’m happy and I’m looking forward to working with him.
Verratti discussed the winning penalty that England were awarded in yesterday’s 2-1 semi-final win over Denmark.
It was a generous penalty, I wouldn’t have called it. It was an important goal, they won the game, let’s say it was a generous penalty.
The 28-year-old Italian midfielder commented on the strong defensive partnership of Leonardo Bonucci and Giorgio Chiellini.
The more time passes, the stronger they become. They give you that confidence that allows you, as a midfielder, to be able to press.
We have two legends at the back, they are the most representative of this national team and we are happy to have them in the team.
He briefly commented on the work of Gareth Southgate’s England.
We’re happy that they won, now we’re all playing in a historic final for both of us.
Finally, Verratti discussed Italy coach Roberto Mancini and his work with the Azzurri.
He’s done a great job wherever he’s been.
Has he been criticised in England? In football it’s enough not to win to be criticised, sooner or later it happens to everyone. The results, in this world, are the most important thing. For us he had a wonderful result, for us he’s special.
He gave us confidence when it was lost because of the results, because of unpleasant situations. He was the perfect coach to restore this enthusiasm, to get us smiling again in the middle of the pitch.
And the results have proved him right, we haven’t lost in 33 games. You like numbers and it makes you understand his work.
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