Chiellini: “It’s not Kane and Sterling against Bonucci and me, but Italy-England”

Italian defender Giorgio Chiellini does not want to summarize the final as a duel between the English attack against the Italian defense.

At 36 years, Giorgio Chiellini will play his second final of a Euro with Italy after that of the 2012 edition lost against Spain. In a press conference, the defender returned to the duel that awaits him against Harry Kane.

On Harry Kane: “I remember facing Harry Kane for the first time in a friendly in Turin in 2015 between our two teams. I was immediately impressed with him: he is technical, good in the air, and he is also a good free kick taker. I also played him with Juve against Tottenham and I’m a fan of what he does on the pitch. We’re going to meet tomorrow and it’s always a great challenge to face a player like that. It’s exciting but it will be difficult.”

On England: “I think the English subs could have gone to the final because they have an amazing squad. We will try to prevent them from developing their soccer. It’s a team sport so it won’t be Kane and Sterling against Bonucci and Chiellini. It will be Italy against England.”

On his exchange with Jordi Alba before the Italy-Spain penalty shootout that went viral on social networks: “Now, as a player, I savor every moment as if it were the last of my career. I always have a smile on my face but also the greatest respect for my opponents. Hugging them or joking with them, I’ve always done that. I’ve done it before. With Alba, it wasn’t a psychological duel. It’s just my way of being. It makes my teammates laugh, maybe less so my opponents, although there is always respect. In the Italian team, there are introverted players and extroverted players and Roberto Mancini knows perfectly how to handle these different characters.”