Grinning warrior Chiellini giving Azzurri vital psychological edge

The 36-year-old has returned to lead his side with a charm and cunning epitomised by his approach to the Spain shootout

Italy's Giorgio Chiellini at an Italy training session in Florence, yesterday. (Photo by Claudio Villa/Getty Images)

Giorgio Chiellini is having a whale of a time. That much was evident long before he arrived grinning for the coin tosses to decide who would go first and at which end in the penalty shootout to decide Tuesday’s semi-final against Spain.

We could see it in the curtain-raiser against Turkey, after Chiellini slid to take the ball off the toes of Burak Yilmaz. Italy were 3-0 up in the second minute of injury time but their captain leapt to his feet, pumping his fist before high-fiving every teammate in a five-yard radius.