Sevillista
Starting XI
Disclaimer: Much of this post is biased and meant to be in good humor and should not be taken very seriously... and yes I was quite bored when I wrote this.
The perpetual underachievers vs the luckiest sons of b*tches alive.
Probable lineups
(barring further injuries or suspensions in the Spain - Greece match)
Spain
------------Casillas------------
Ramos--Puyol--Marchena--Capdevila
------------Senna--------------
----Iniesta---Xavi-----Silva------
----------Torres---Villa----------
Italy
(with help from locco)
----------------Buffon--------------
Zambrotta--Panucci--Gamberini--Grosso
----Camoranesi---De Rossi---Ambrosini--
--------------Del Piero--------------
-----------Toni----Cassano---------
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
Three reasons why Italy will win this match
They cheat
Italy eliminates Australia after simulating a penalty in the last moments of their 1/8 final match at WC2006.
They play dirty, and get away with it
Luis Enrique after Tassotti broke his nose in the penalty box. No penalty
was given and Italy advanced 2-1 in the WC1994 quarterfinals.
Vieri breaks Kim Tae-Young's nose in the WC2002 1/8 finals.
No card was given. Italy proceeded to blame the loss on the ref...
Late-match luck
(The following is a non-comprehensive list of examples from recent history)
-Baggio scores equalizer in 88th minute against Nigeria (WC1994 1/8 finals)
-Baggio scores game-winner in 87th minute against Spain (WC1994 1/4 finals)
-Italy is forgiven a clear penalty in stoppage time against Spain (WC1994 1/4 finals)
-Baggio scores penalty kick in 85th minute to tie Chile (WC1998 Group Stage)
-Baggio scores game-winner in 89th minute to beat Austria (WC1998 Group Stage)
-Del Piero scores game-winner in 88th minute to beat Sweden (Euro2000 Group Stage)
-Del Piero equalizes in the 85th against Mexico to advance (WC2002 Group Stage)
-Cassano scores game-winner in 94th minute to beat Bulgaria (Euro2004 Group Stage)
-Totti scores non-existant penalty in 95th minute to beat Aussies (WC2006 1/8 finals)
-Grosso and Del Piero score in 119th and 121st minute to beat Germany (WC2006 1/4 finals)
-Buffon saves penalty against Romania that would eliminate them in 81st (Euro2008 Group Stage)
Two reason why Spain will lose
They're underachievers
Despite entering EVERY World Cup and Euro tournament as one of the favorites, Spain has not advanced past the
quarterfinals since Euro 1984. So sure are the Spanish of their eventual fate that TV's were sold
before Euro 2008 with the guarantee of refunding 25% of the price if Spain advances past quarterfinals.
If we don't screw ourselves over, the refs do
The ref anulls two goals for Spain and blows a critical offsides call against Korea in the WC2002 quarterfinals
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
All ranting aside, I predict Italy beating us on penalties after a 1 - 1 match. Toni and Villa with the goals.
The perpetual underachievers vs the luckiest sons of b*tches alive.
Probable lineups
(barring further injuries or suspensions in the Spain - Greece match)
Spain
------------Casillas------------
Ramos--Puyol--Marchena--Capdevila
------------Senna--------------
----Iniesta---Xavi-----Silva------
----------Torres---Villa----------
Italy
(with help from locco)
----------------Buffon--------------
Zambrotta--Panucci--Gamberini--Grosso
----Camoranesi---De Rossi---Ambrosini--
--------------Del Piero--------------
-----------Toni----Cassano---------
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
Three reasons why Italy will win this match
They cheat
Italy eliminates Australia after simulating a penalty in the last moments of their 1/8 final match at WC2006.
They play dirty, and get away with it
Luis Enrique after Tassotti broke his nose in the penalty box. No penalty
was given and Italy advanced 2-1 in the WC1994 quarterfinals.
Vieri breaks Kim Tae-Young's nose in the WC2002 1/8 finals.
No card was given. Italy proceeded to blame the loss on the ref...
Late-match luck
(The following is a non-comprehensive list of examples from recent history)
-Baggio scores equalizer in 88th minute against Nigeria (WC1994 1/8 finals)
-Baggio scores game-winner in 87th minute against Spain (WC1994 1/4 finals)
-Italy is forgiven a clear penalty in stoppage time against Spain (WC1994 1/4 finals)
-Baggio scores penalty kick in 85th minute to tie Chile (WC1998 Group Stage)
-Baggio scores game-winner in 89th minute to beat Austria (WC1998 Group Stage)
-Del Piero scores game-winner in 88th minute to beat Sweden (Euro2000 Group Stage)
-Del Piero equalizes in the 85th against Mexico to advance (WC2002 Group Stage)
-Cassano scores game-winner in 94th minute to beat Bulgaria (Euro2004 Group Stage)
-Totti scores non-existant penalty in 95th minute to beat Aussies (WC2006 1/8 finals)
-Grosso and Del Piero score in 119th and 121st minute to beat Germany (WC2006 1/4 finals)
-Buffon saves penalty against Romania that would eliminate them in 81st (Euro2008 Group Stage)
Two reason why Spain will lose
They're underachievers
Despite entering EVERY World Cup and Euro tournament as one of the favorites, Spain has not advanced past the
quarterfinals since Euro 1984. So sure are the Spanish of their eventual fate that TV's were sold
before Euro 2008 with the guarantee of refunding 25% of the price if Spain advances past quarterfinals.
If we don't screw ourselves over, the refs do
The ref anulls two goals for Spain and blows a critical offsides call against Korea in the WC2002 quarterfinals
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
All ranting aside, I predict Italy beating us on penalties after a 1 - 1 match. Toni and Villa with the goals.