Azzurri retain honour in defeat

It is usual in football for a crushing defeat to be followed by recrimination and the search for scapegoats.

It’s a measure of the respect Italy have for Spain, but also for their own football, that they can take Sunday’s 4-0 defeat on the chin.

“Never in the game,” was the brutal assessment of the Gazzetta dello Sport, although they also awarded Iker Casillas top marks for the saves which snuffed out Italy’s chances of a comeback on two occasions — and for the way he extended himself to flick away the crosses aimed at Mario Balotelli. Not quite man of the match — that was Xavi — but one of them. “Considering that his girlfriend is the prettiest journalist in Europe, there are a lot of grounds for jealousy.”