He has not yet been in action in this European Championship, but Stephan El Shaarawy is someone who knows how to wait, and knows how to be ready. His versatility - for Roma he played both as a wideman and as a fifth player in defence - and his ability to be decisive even when coming off the bench convinced Luciano Spalletti to take him to Germany for the second European Championship of his career. Absent at EURO 2020, he is in fact the only one of the group to have taken part in the 2016 European Championship. Eight years ago in France, Antonio Conte's Italy overcame Belgium and Spain only to lose to Germany on penalties in the quarter-finals. Today, as then, the national team is not among the favourites, but it has all it takes to make skeptics change their minds.

“We are reigning champions," the Ligurian striker born in 1992 said from the press room at Casa Azzurri in Iserlohn. "There is expectancy and pressure, as it should be. We are a strong team, made up of men who know how to suffer and rejoice together, who can have their say and get to the bottom of it. We must have the ambition to be protagonists in this European Championship."

He can't wait to make his contribution, in any role: “With three or four it doesn't change much for me, even if I was brought up as a winger I feel better in a 4-3-3. I'm always ready to do everything. In training, the coach tried me as a high left and right winger, as a fourth man in midfield and a fifth in defence. I adapted to the needs as I did in the past at Roma. I know that even by playing little I can be decisive, as Mattia (Zaccagni, ed.) was on Monday." It was a goal by the Lazio winger that did not arrive by chance: "It was a great feeling, a goal in the 97th minute brings you great joy. It also gave us the awareness that we are a national team that never gives up. Scoring in injury time is not luck, it demonstrates the qualities of a team that believes until the end. It's true, it wasn't an exceptional match, but there was great effort from everyone and the qualification is deserved."

The Pharaoh's first call-up to the national team dates back twelve years ago. After completing his career in the youth team, he made his debut at the age of 19 with Prandelli. Since then, he has collected 31 appearances and seven goals, but without ever finding continuity. In October 2023, it was Spalletti who made him wear the Azzurri shirt again after more than two years of absence: "I have some regrets," he admits. "I could have done something more, but I always tried to give my best for what was within my possibilities. Being here today is a great privilege. I wanted to be there and I managed to do it, even if I'm not playing." He knows well what the coach wants, who has always believed in his qualities and who in 2016 was among the architects of his rebirth at the time of Roma, wanting him in the capital after a negative period at Monaco: "The coach asks us to look to dribble a lot, to keep possession in midfield and then move the ball out wide. We lacked this a bit in the match against Croatia. He wants very offensive and proactive football, we tried to propose it again, but perhaps on Monday we also lacked a bit of courage."

On Saturday in Berlin, the Azzurri will have to deal with a Switzerland team that is still unbeaten in this European Championship. Murat Yakin's team plays good football - made up of combinations of speed and high pressing - and can count on important individuals, from the best goalkeeper of the last Serie A campaign (Inter's Yann Sommer) to a world-class playmaker like Granit Xhaka. Without forgetting three fundamental players of Bologna: Aebischer, Freuler and Ndoye.

After beating Hungary in their opener and a draw against Scotland, they were seconds away from success against Germany, which would have earned them first place in the group. But Fullkrug's goal in second half added time re-changed places in Group A and so in the round of 16 Italy will face Switzerland almost three years after the two teams met in Qatar 2022 World Cup qualification. Two draws (0 -0 in Basel, 1-1 in Rome) came after Jorginho mised two penalties, which gave Switzerland the lead in the group, condemning Italy to the play-offs that later proved fatal. The EURO 2020 encounter is undoubtedly more positive, where the Azzurri won comfortably 3-0 at the Olympic Stadium in Rome, laying the foundations for the Wembley triumph: “I expect a very high tempo," warns El Shaarawy, "they showed it against Germany: they went very well, they have talented and quality players. Then, the round of 16 is always tough, you will have to face them with the right spirit and maximum attention to detail. The difference is made by the details, the runs you make, the yards you cover to win the ball back. It will require great attention, but we are ready."