Liverpool 2 Udinese 3

Liverpool manager Brendan Rodgers feels Raheem Sterling is fully deserving of a place in the senior England squad at the moment and is confident the 17-year-old will be well “looked after” if he receives another call-up.

All of the arguments, all of the debates, all of the questions around Spain are now irrelevant – except one.

Spain 4 Italy 0

Juventus general director Giuseppe Marotta has hailed Andrea Pirlo as his best ever signing after watching the midfielder light up Euro 2012 for Italy.

Not for the first time, Italy have upset the order.

Germany 1 Italy 2

Gary Neville has warned England’s players they risk getting sent off themselves if they try to wind Mario Balotelli up today.

Spain may have wowed the world over the last four years with their stylish passing football, but they would not be defending European, or World Cup, champions without [the interventions of keeper Iker Casillas.

Italy defender Leonardo Bonucci was coy last night about being nominated as a mentor to Mario Balotelli in the build-up to Sunday’s Euro 2012 quarter-final against England.

And so it ends, not with a bang, but not exactly with a whimper either.

That’s that then.

Italy 2 Republic of Ireland 0

Giovanni Trapattoni has recalled Kevin Doyle tonight as Republic of Ireland attempt to salvage some pride from their European Championship campaign and knock Italy out of the tournament.

By Alan Smith, Soccer Correspondent

Cesare Prandelli has no difficulty with criticism after a game.

Old habits die hard.

Cesare Prandelli has only one decision to make for tonight’s Group C duel with Croatia: does he stick with the front two he picked against Spain or should he give Antonio Di Natale a start?

Italy striker Antonio Cassano has apologised after causing controversy by saying he hoped there were no homosexuals in the national team squad at Euro 2012.

Spain’s draw with a surprisingly impressive Italy was not a bad result for the defending Euro champions, but their performance threw up more questions than answers ahead of their clash with Ireland on Thursday.

Italy coach Cesare Prandelli has labelled Thursday’s game against Croatia as “crucial” to their hopes of advancing past the group stages of the European Championship.

Spain coach Vicente Del Bosque felt his decision to start with Cesc Fabregas rather than a recognised centre-forward was justified by the Barcelona midfielder’s goal in the 1-1 draw against Italy yesterday.

Spain’s Cesc Fabregas hit out at the pitch in Gdansk after the defending European champions were held to a 1-1 draw by Italy in Ireland’s Group C last evening.

Euro 2012 will be Giovanni Trapattoni’s third time to lead a team at the finals of a major international competition. Paul Kelly looks at the campaigns in which his under-achieving Italy recorded two wins, three draws and two defeats.

Four first-phase clashes at Euro 2012 have a historical resonance, says Paul Kelly.

Juventus defender Leonardo Bonucci was today included in Italy’s final Euro 2012 squad despite being mentioned in the latest match-fixing investigation to engulf the country.

Italy coach Cesare Prandelli has expressed his faith in controversial Manchester City striker Mario Balotelli.

The parent club of Italian footballer Piermario Morosini, who died during a game on Saturday, will take care of his disabled sister, according to its captain Antonio Di Natale.

Italy coach Cesare Prandelli says Antonio Di Natale will be considered for selection for Euro 2012 despite overlooking the veteran striker in the past.

Santi Cazorla’s stunning stoppage-time free-kick gave Malaga a deserved point to halt Real Madrid’s 11-match winning run in the Primera Division last night.

Dutch Eredivisie leaders AZ Alkmaar survived the third minute sending-off of Nick Viergever as they clung on for a 2-1 defeat at Serie A side Udinese which was enough to send them through 3-2 on aggregate.

Stoke will have to win in the Mestalla next week if their European adventure is to continue after Valencia shaded the first leg of their Europa League last-32 clash at the Britannia Stadium tonight.

Italy

Celtic officials will wake this morning wondering if the Parkhead club will be brought to book by UEFA again after incidents involving Hoops fans before last night’s 1-1 Europa League draw with Udinese at the Stadio Friuli.

CELTIC’S Europa League campaign ended last night as they drew one-all against Udinese in their thrilling Group I game in the Stadio Friuli.

Udinese 1 Celtic 1

CELTIC manager Neil Lennon is hoping his side will thrive in the do-or-die scenario they face in tonight’s Europa League Group I game against Udinese at the Stadio Friuli (kick-off 8.05pm).

IN difficult times when the outlook seems grim you can usually rely on English football journalists for some comic relief.

Italy coach Cesare Prandelli has not ruled out a return to international football for Antonio Di Natale, despite the striker again being left out of his latest squad.

JUVENTUS and Udinese moved back into a share of top spot in Serie A after posting impressive wins yesterday.

Celtic 1 Udinese 1

Arsene Wenger insisted he always knew Arsenal had what it took to triumph over adversity after watching them come from behind to seal their place in the Champions League group stage.

WAS it the £25 million goal or the £25 million save?

Udinese 1 Arsenal 2