AT the home of one of their greatest ever nights, the reigning European champions fell to one of their worst ever defeats at a major tournament.
It was 18 years ago at Berlin’s infamous Olympiastadion that Italy lifted their fourth World Cup, coming from behind and holding their nerve on penalties to see off France’s Galacticos.
The mark of champions, some would say. The mark of a stereotypical Italian team.
Guile and grit, precision and passion, bravery and beauty.
But look at them now.
Gutless, clueless and downright ugly – outclassed by Switzerland with an embarrassing last 16 display, unworthy of the Euros title they hold from three years ago.
The score line was the only thing respectable about this Italy performance.
Never have the men in blue looked so timid. A team of nothingness.
For all that, the Swiss were mightily impressive, toying with Spalletti’s wannabe contenders from the first minute before goals from Remo Freuler and Ruben Vargas settled it.
England beware, this lot mean business, and look ready to dismantle another international giant should they meet the Three Lions in the quarter finals in Dusseldorf on July 6.
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Their team is settled and immensely efficient – manager Murat Yakin able to make just one change to a line-up that nearly topped a group containing hosts Germany.
Suspended wing-back Silvan Widmer meaning a reshuffle that saw Vargas recalled, and boy did he take his chance.
Spalletti has fought and dismissed allegations of a mole in the Italy camp throughout this competition, with rumours suggesting the players were making tactical decisions during an average group stage showing.
But it was Spalletti who decided to make six changes from the XI that drew 1-1 with Croatia, dropping Jorginho and bringing in Gianluca Scamacca.
In hindsight, a grave error.
The warning signs were there inside the first 20 seconds, Breet Embolo beating the offside trap from Fabian Schar’s long ball before Bryan Cristante’s deflection had his own keeper Gianluigi Donnarumma scrambling.
The Swiss were elegant on the ball, so confident, so aggressive, typified by former Arsenal man Granit Xhaka expertly and consistently dictating from deep.
The mannequins in blue were being given the run around, and responded by kicking – Giovanni Di Lorenzo introducing his studs to Vargas’ midriff.
That physicality spurred them on – briefly – winning a corner after some neat play from Cristante and Nicolo Fagioli.
Unsurprisingly, it came to nothing.
A near perfect half from Switzerland, the only criticism being that they were guilty of trying to score the perfect goal.
One pass too many on too many occasions.
But this Swiss team have more than one arrow in their quiver, Fabian Rieder dinking over the top for Embolo, who clearly thought he was offside given his lethargic effort that was saved by Donnarumma.
The replays showed the striker had timed his run perfectly.
With 30 minutes gone, Italy looked resigned to their fate, dropping deeper and deeper in fear of being picked off with Yakin’s men controlling 63 per cent of possession.
In a below par tournament, after a several poor years since lifting the Euros back in July 2021, this was as bad a first half outing from any Italian side at a major tournament.
It got worse in the 37th minute as Vargas lurked down the left and picked out Freuler in the box.
His touch was dodgy, but so was the defending, giving him time to ripple the netting of Donnarumma’s near post.
The Swiss could smell blood and the Azzurri were bleeding out.
Rieder’s whipped free-kick was pushed onto the post and out for a corner by a helpless Donnarumma.
The half-time stats were grim reading.
Switzerland had put together 32 attacks to Italy’s five, with 10 shots on goal to Italy’s one.
Spalletti, a man known for using his voice as a weapon, would have read the riot act, and acted swiftly, hauling off Stephan El Shaarawy for group stage hero Mattia Zaccagni.
It was Zaccagni’s 98th minute equaliser in Leipzig earlier this week that knocked out Croatia and sent the Italians into the last 16.
Before he could even think about having a similar impact, Switzerland had doubled their lead.
It was a peach of a strike, almost overshadowed by more shocking defending.
Surrounded by three blue shirts, Michel Aebischer easily teed up Vargas, who jogged past his uninterested Italian markers and found the top corner over the giant Donnarumma.
From there, the Swiss managed this game like tournament veterans, as opposed to a side who have never previously gone past the quarter final stage at a World Cup or Euros.
Scamacca hit the post late on, not that Italy ever came close to a late surge – more like a prolonged crawl to a miserable finish line.
Not since the reign of ex-England boss Roy Hodgson in 1993 had Switzerland beaten Italy, an unwanted streak ended with one eye now on Gareth Southgate…
