Italy’s Euro 2024 journey came to a premature end as they suffered a 2-0 defeat against Switzerland in the round of 16. Following the match, Italian goalkeeper and captain Gianluigi Donnarumma spoke to RAI, expressing his disappointment and apologizing for the team’s performance:
“It hurts, it hurts terribly,” Donnarumma began. “We apologize to everyone. Today we disappointed, and they deserved to win. There’s nothing else to say.”
Reflecting on the match, Donnarumma acknowledged Italy’s struggles throughout the game. “We struggled for the entire match, except towards the end when they dropped back and we managed the game a bit, but we should have done that earlier. In the first half, we lost too many balls, left them too much space, and didn’t press well. It was tough, a very difficult match to digest, but that’s how it went, and we have to accept it.”
The captain also addressed the apparent lack of courage in Italy’s play. “We lacked a bit of everything in this match. Beyond courage, we lacked quality. In the first half, we performed terribly because they always had control of the game and hurt us. In the second half, we needed to start well, but instead, we conceded a goal, making it even harder. So that’s how it is, we have to accept it. We’ve disappointed.”
