Exorcismo en Viena

Ditto -nickt.-’s sentiments. Oh Italia, Italia…Spain deserved to win, but I can’t help but wonder what the match would have looked like if Andrea Pirlo was playing. The zoom-ins they had at Gattuso and Pirlo throughout the match made me really sad at their loss (I gotts say, the shtos were adorable though)

Spain v Russia is going to be a really good match. I’m expecting lots of short passing, pretty play, and counterattacks.

Right you are to not underestimate Russia, with a certain Andrei Arshavin on the field, and the rocket of a foot that Kolodin has, they will definitely very formidable opponents.

Viva España!

I completely agree with ‘texanspaniard’.
I feel like we’ve won the whole tournament, but there’s still a long way to go, though I am proud to say our country made it through and beat the world champions with the best goalkeeper in the world.
Italians can say it wasn’t fair as many times as they wish, but if they had won against us through penalty kicks, they would be their cocky selves and parade all over, saying that it was fair and square. They can be as hypocritial as they want, but everyone else knows that it was fair and although nobody scored a goal in the 120 minutes, neither did Crotia nor Turkey. I don’t hear the Croatians or Turkish complaining which proves it’s just the Italians. Not all, but some.
Which team beat your world champions in quarter finals? The team that had the “best” goalkeeper in the world? (Though I think Casillas is better). Yeah, Spain did. So all the ignorant Italians can shut their mouths for once because they may have won other tournaments, but Euro 2008 was not their year, and I have a good feeling it may be ours.
Overall, amazing game Spain played. As well as Italy.
In my eyes, Spain deserved to win.
Best of luck to us this Friday, and we’ll be seeing Italy in World cup 2010.

dear Alyssa, don’t worry nobody complain…but you can’t say that was good match! It was boring! unfortunately for us in that game there was no good Italian team…but I didn’t see good Spanish team too….can you say that that one was really good game? come on…be honest! ok I know you are happy because you won something long long long time ago…but as you said there’s still a long way to go…

In my eyes… Russia or Turkey deserve to win!

Posted from  Canada

True it was a boring match for most of the 120min… I think that the introduction of Cesc definitely sparked Spain a little bit when he came on in the 2nd half. Definitely changed the game, excluding the penalty.

Posted from  United Kingdom

Maria, I never mentioned it was a good match. It was boring to watch, I rushed all my plans into the half time as it was about to rain and I needed to run out and buy something but made it back on time when honestly, I could have stayed out for the 2nd half plus extra time and still have the game at 0-0. It was definitely not a match with surprises, but I will admit it was a nail biting game- I could not sit down everytime Italy was near our net or when we were near theirs. But honestly, I think Spain deserves this most. Good luck to all team but Viva Espana!

Karri, I completely agree. Casillas’ time to shine was the most amazing part of the game. Amazing saves by Iker, and amazing shots by the Spain team.

why do these idiots continue to pollute our blog with italian nonsense? i don’t go to other team’s blogs, but i can’t imagine any spanish fans post hateful and nonsensical rants on there. get a life. good luck in south africa. moving on, the russia game will be tough. arshan looked unstoppable and quite fast against the netherlands, a squad which supposedly mirrors our own–blistering attack, not so much in the back four. but i think our defense is better than the dutch, and we do have the confidence of knowing that we beat them by three goals last time around. can’t wait. i told my german-supporting friend before the tournament that we would meet in the final–hope it comes true. actually, i’d rather face turkey. but i’ll take a finals appearance regardless. viva la furia roja!

Tim, I agree with the comment about the Italians. I’m not being racist at all, it’s just that some decide to continuously repeat themselves saying that they deserve to win. If they did, even though I don’t think they did, because Spain won fair and square, we wouldn’t be doing the stuff they are.

I think that the Spanish have a good chance against the Russians. I think there will be big adjustments made to our starting line-up considering they weren’t so active during the match against Italy. Overall, I do have a strong belief that Fabregas deserves to start. I think that Xavi and Iniesta deserve a break and in their place should be de la Red and Guiza (if Fabregas is starting in the game against Russia). I don’t think that Torres should ever be subbed off because Villa did not have anyone to make those amazing passes, and the Torres-Villa couple was seperated in the game against Italy, though I think it was a reasonable thing to do in that game, against the Russians, I do not think it should be done in that case. Did anyone see the pass that Torres made to Villa in the first half? If Villa was just a bit closer to the net, where Torres made a very good aim to, then that would have been a goal, no doubt. But the Italian defence was really good, that I’m sure about. Anyways, through everything Viva Espana! And I know they have it in them, I could definitely see Casillas lifting the Euro 2008 Cup at the end.

matches vs italy are usually slow and abrupt due to their constant pressure, it wasnt going to be easy but the team that mostly deserved to win passed through. russia will play more offensive and spain will be able to use full advantage of villa and torres’s speed on the breaks. Nevertheless the russia that beat netherlands looked quite good, especially Arsavin…great talent, im positive at the moment since netherlands plays for the break allowing the russians to keep possession while spain is the complete opposite.

Posted from  Spain

awesome tournament so far. full credit to spain. they just played by the rules, and that’s how the rules are…i don’t like deciding matches on penalty kicks…but what can you do?

Posted from  Canada

Spain played on counterattacks with Russia in the first game. Especially after 1-st goal. In this respect you resemble Dutch.
As for game with Italy – well done, you clearly dominated the game and deserved to win, would be a shame if not. You didn’t create a lot of moments (can’t remember any to be honest) and the game was boring next to none on the tournament for a neutral spectator, but that’s how Italy defends always, so no blame on you.
Now as for the semi – most Russian players said they preferred to play semi against Spain .. some said it with vicious smile
Only Arshavin prefered Italy, but he didn’t play the first game .. )
You guys are a clear favourites, but you have to run much much faster to win this time. Cheers!

Posted from  Russian Federation

spain is a marvellous team as it has great platers like CECS FABREGAS, FERNENDO TORRES AND DAVID VILLA. spain has made it’s way through the quater finals and hopefully, they would win EURO 2008.

Posted from  Pakistan

Dear friends, it is in our best interests to ignore Porchetta and his racist outbursts. Infact, iam a Spaniard of Morroccon descent and i assure one and all that we are all proud of our moorish origins. Infact, let me put this in short ,precise words..
The History of Spain clearly shows that Waves of invaders and colonizers followed over the millennia, including the Celts, Phoenicians, Carthaginians, and Greeks, and by about 200 B.C., the area was controlled by the Roman Republic. Roman control was followed by the Visigoths, and in 711, the Arabs and North African Berbers (as the largest Muslim tribes were from Morocco, they were called Moors , or moros, by the Spanish) began arriving. During the next 750 years, independent Muslim states were established, and the entire area of Muslim control became known as Al-Andalus.
There is nothing to be ashamed about our Muslim origins. God has created everyone as equals. We are in the 21st century and there is no place for bigots.

Posted from  Spain

Aragones won’t change his mind
Luis Aragones insists he will not remain Spain coach, even if the national team win Euro 2008.

The veteran boss has led Spain to the semi-finals of the European Championship for the first time in 24 years.

Sunday’s penalty shoot-out win over world champions Italy has set up a last-four showdown with Group D rivals Russia in Vienna on Thursday evening.
http://www.fanguide08.net/ShowArticle.aspx?ID=60

Posted from  Ukraine

Casillas won all Italy by his own

Posted from  Armenia

Porcheta this is a football blog, not political. You are a foreigner here!

Posted from  Armenia

Wow, that was quite the history lesson …
Well, back to reality … Spain/Russia and all I really care about is whether we win the game … I don’t care about Spanish people and their dark skin, global warming, Obama vs. McCain and anything else … for today and until the game, all I care about is Spain winning …

Posted from  United States

Aragones stepping down after the Euros.. I must say i’m not a big fan of Aragones, but the team has been in a good run of form under him. Any thoughts on who should take the reins after Spain beat Germany on Sunday (Optimistic chap aren’t I)?

On a side note, let’s all ignore the idiot that keeps posting these racist rants about Spain, Moors etc.

Posted from  United States

Vicente del Bosque is already appointed. I don’t think he’ll wreck Aragones’s work but he will sure get rid of some speculative players…i hope Guiza, S Garcia…Guti needs to be in the squad!

Posted from  Spain

spain deserved to win, that’s a fact. It wasn’t just our year (i mean for us italians). I think this could really be your turn, you deserve it, too many years without any win for the country who hosts la liga, real madrid and barcelona. Time for you to win a major tournament. Good luck guys.

I am Iranian and like spain alot,I hope they will be more ambitious in semifinal,aragones 2 years after world cup to find a good defender in left ,but he couldnt…

What does everyone have against Puyol
(everyone is saying Spain’s defence sucks)??
He is a very good and passionate defender.
He played his heart out against Italy.
Yes, maybe Spain’s overall defense isn’t as good as Italy’s but they try and so far they haven’t done any Zambrotta mistakes…
-Hawk

Posted from  United States

I have nothing against Puyol or Marchena they played brilliant defence against italy though they clearly arent as fast as they used to be.. now they need to use their experience and work just that much harder in the physical game.

Posted from  Canada

Good luck to Spain against Russia, should be a great game. Maria I suggest you stay in the kitchen becuase I’m sure no team can play to your standard!!!! Go Espana

Posted from  United States