Chris Hatherall celebrates the Euro 2016 wow factor.

Germany 1 Italy 1 (AET, Germany won 6-5 on penalties): Some stereotypes simply refuse to go away.

Italy 2 Spain 0: Graziano Pelle sealed Italy’s place in the Euro 2016 quarter-finals with a stoppage-time strike to sink reigning champions Spain at the Stade de France yesterday.

Stephen Quinn is a ‘definite option’ to replace James McCarthy or Glenn Whelan in Ireland’s midfield tonight, writes Liam Brady.

Juventus 1 Manchester City 0: Mario Mandzukic scored the only goal as Juventus leapfrogged Manchester City in Champions League Group D with a 1-0 win in Turin.

Five days from the Champions League showdown in Berlin there is a slight sense of ‘so what?’ about the climax to the season.

The Old Lady of Italian football — not to mention one or two of its old men — is long overdue a European trophy; and after Carlos Tevez inspired Juventus to a 2-1 Champions League semi-final first leg victory over Real Madrid there is a growing feeling that this could finally be their year.

Monaco 0 Juventus 0: Juventus moved into the last four of the Champions League for the first time in 12 years after playing out a goalless draw with Monaco in the second leg of their quarter-final tie.

Borussia Dortmund 0 Juventus 3 (Juventus win 5-1 on aggregate): Carlos Tevez scored two and set up another as Juventus cruised into the Champions League quarter-finals with a 3-0 victory over Borussia Dortmund.

Norway 0 Italy 2

Italy 0 Uruguay 1

Uruguay 2 Italy 2, Italy win 3-2 on pens

Juventus 0 Bayern Munich 2 (Bayern win 4-0 on aggregate)

Antonio Conte made an uncharacteristic mess of his team selection against Bayern Munich last week and the Juventus coach cannot afford to get it wrong again as his side chase a two-goal deficit tonight.

Bayern Munich 2 Juventus 0

Juventus 2 Celtic 0

THE CREAM OF THE CROP

Italy defender Ignazio Abate is wary of England’s wide boys ahead of Sunday’s European Championship quarter-final.

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.

Italy coach Cesare Prandelli plans to ask Mario Balotelli if his angry outburst after scoring yesterday was directed at him.

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.

Italy’s Euro 2012 plans are in danger of being derailed by outside forces as a betting scandal clouded coach Cesare Prandelli’s announcement of his squad for the tournament.

Italy coach Cesare Prandelli has defended his decision to include Juventus defender Leonardo Bonucci in his Euro 2012 squad.

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.

Typically they feature dawn raids and search warrants; obscure provincial prosecutors with snappy wardrobes and an eye for publicity; pictures of sheepish young men emerging from police stations; extracts from mobile phone taps selectively leaked to the papers; condemnation and summary convictions; and then a five-year appeal process during which it emerges that everyone was doing it but the accused had the misfortune or the stupidity to be caught.

MANCHESTER CITY survived a late scare to collect a point from their high-profile Europa League clash with Juventus last night.

JUVENTUS lived up to all the usual stereotypes at Tallaght Stadium last night, leaving Dublin with two away goals and the tie all but settled.

Airtricity League side Shamrock Rovers face the might of Juventus tonight in the first leg of the Third Qualifying round of the Europa League at Tallaght Stadium.

JUVENTUS boss Luigi del Neri and Alessandro Del Piero swept into Tallaght Stadium yesterday afternoon with the cameras rolling and the paparazzi snapping.