I think we would have won. In fact I dont think I know. They havnt beaten us for over 30 years. We own them. They can't play our style either. What do you think the score would have been?
Uhh I think Spain didn't beat Italy in a full non pk match since like 90 years or something crazy like that and look how that turned out. If Italy had the same luck vs Portugal as they did vs Spain, I honestly wouldn't consider losing to them as a shock, that night was a disaster for the Azzurri, every single thing went against them.
That spain statistic was crap tho because how many times had we played them in a major comp? Hardly any. And they had beaten us in friendlies as early as that year and in 2000. Spain isn't Portugal though, Yes Spain broke that amazing hoodoo which saw them lose 4 pealty shootouts on the same date, played us on the same date but won. And yes they finally won in normal time like you mentioned. Spain and Portugal are two different sides until Portugal win anything theyre always chokers in my eyes like Spain were pre euro 2008. I knew people would also compare the way we played vs Spain saying that would have happened vs Portugal. All the portuguese and azzurri haters over here was saying that, and because portugal only lost on penalties to Spain that automatically meant they'd beat us. That's total bullshit. Completely different game against a different team, match ups, tactics etc. We also drew with Spain in the first game, the only team to score against them. We also beat Germany who beat Portugal. Portugal didn't score a single goal vs Germany or Spain. They beat two rubbish teams in Holland {at the cup they were } and the Czech's, and needed a 88th minute goal to beat Denmark. Croatia lost to France in the 1998 semi final, who then went on to beat Brazil 3-0. By many of the dumb ass Portuguese and Anti Italians over here I guess that means Croatia would have beat Brazil by 2 goals then rofl. Completely different game had we played Portugal. If we played the way we did that night vs Spain and had that luck with injuries, you could make a case for just about any team at the euro's beating us. Dont ge me wrong im not angry at you, just venting my anger at many of the jealous anti Italy people herein Australia. When it comes to football, there are many. FORZA ITALIA!
I too thought we'd pretty much seal the deal if we played against Portugal in the final and was hoping we'd meet them since we have already played Spain earlier. Looking at the way Italy played though in the final, specially the disastrous defense, C.Ronaldo would have had a field day if they played like that even though he doesn't perform nearly as well internationally as he does in clubs. I just really hate the way such a great tournament for the Azzurri ended, totally unfair to what the players achieved overall before that match, giving people who don't have a clue about how football works a reason to bash a great team.
Or an even better 'what if'... What if Prandelli knew something about soccer and actually picked Saint Miccoli instead of an overweight and out of form, Cassano?
Or an even better what if, what if you never tried crack cocaine maybe that thing you call a brain wouldn't be fried.
Says the man that resurrects long dead threads from over six years ago. What is we played Portugal instead... WTF? Piss off!
I think this is a retarded topic because obviously Spain is a better team then Portugal and you need to beat the best teams in these tournaments otherwise your going home at some point. Never has it happened that a team wins everything without beating the best. The truth is Italy could have beat Spain with the right formation and if all the best players were available. 352 should have been employed for one because it worked in the first leg. The only thing we can hope for is a rematch with Spain in the knock out stages of WC2014 and send them home packing. If there's one match up I'm waiting/praying for, its this one.