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PARIS. — Luis Enrique’s belligerent self-belief has led Spain to the semi-finals of Euro 2020, but the former Barcelona boss has another personal score to settle in tonight’s last four against Italy.
The match kicks-off at 9pm.
Luis Enrique’s playing career at major football tournaments is best remembered for the vicious elbow from Mauro Tassotti that left blood flowing from his nose over his white Spain shirt at the 1994 World Cup.
Tassotti escaped without punishment at the time — Spain were denied a stoppage time penalty and the chance to take the game to extra-time as the Azzurri ran out 2-1 winners.
The Italy defender was subsequently banned for eight games by FIFA, but the damage was already done for Spain as they exited at the quarter-finals.
That was a familiar story for Spanish football at the time as generations of talented players came and went without leaving a trace at major competitions.
All that changed in 2008 as a last eight win over Italy on penalties opened the door for Luis Aragones’s side to win the European Championship.
Vicente del Bosque then took over to win the 2010 World Cup and Euro 2012.
But by the time Luis Enrique got the call, Spain had fallen rapidly from grace.
In the previous three major tournaments, they failed to even reach the quarter-finals as the generation of a glorious era grew old together.
Luis Enrique’s contentious call to leave out former captain Sergio Ramos for Euro 2020 broke the last remaining link to the 2008 team.
Without Ramos, or any other Real Madrid player for the first time in Spain’s history at a major tournament, the Madrid press cried foul, claiming La Furia Roja would lack leadership. — AFP.
Bongani Ndlovu
Online Reporter