Can Italian nous match Spanish flair in Champions League?

There is always an edge to matches between the Spanish and the Italians, and football is only part of it.

From the Romans to the Bourbons, the two peoples occupied each other’s territory. There are Roman ruins across most of Spain and Spanish palaces and fortresses across half of Italy. They’ve been allies and rivals in everything from building cars to producing olive oil: even the lamb for Easter lunch can be an issue (Spanish meat is cheaper but the Italians say it’s not as good).

In football, however, the Spanish are clearly in the ascendant. Italy’s shock win in the last 16 stage at Euro 2016 looks increasingly like a blip. The Spanish are among the favourites for the World Cup this summer, the Italians will be watching from home. There is simply no comparison between the two national sides, above all in the quality of the young players coming through.