Two of the most gifted midfielders in the game, Andrea Pirlo and Xavi Hernandez, will go head to head in Kiev on Sunday when Italy will try to dethrone European champion Spain.
Andrea Pirlo (left) tracks Xavi Hernández in the the teams' Group C opener in Gdansk
Every two or four years there is a player who usually overshadows all others in the light of the procedures and actions with grace so that individual finals are considered 'the tournament'.
Four years ago in Austria and Switzerland was Xavi Hernandez, who was honored for his metronomic wide move to Spain ended more than four decades of disappointment. Now similar acclaim could be heading to Andrea Pirlo as if Italy beat the starters in the final of the UEFA EURO 2012.
Coming from the back of a stellar season with Juventus - in which he appeared in all but one game during unbeaten Juventus won the Scudetto campaign - Pirlo was the chief orchestrator of the Azzurri in Poland and Ukraine. A classic 'regista', has directed the play of his deep-lying midfield position behind Italy Strait of three.
A sumptuous free-kick against Croatia, a pair of assists and three Carlsberg Awards party - more than any other player - means he is the man his teammates and coach Cesare Prandelli look Sunday night.
"Our midfield has a lot of quality in it, we can run and push the ball a lot there and we have a great player who can raise the level, Andrea Pirlo," said Prandelli in the press conference prior to the final. "Often, the other players just work to get the ball to him, to give space to make things."
He did so in the quarter-final against England last week, completing a record of 117 passes EURO, albeit with the help of extra time. And who can forget that style Panenka penalty in the pressure situation of the penalties?
His head to head with Xavi at the Olympic Stadium in Kiev is undoubtedly one of the purists. The FC Barcelona is part of what Sir Alex Ferguson called the Blaugrana's famous' carousel of death - and with good reason. With club-mate Sergio Busquets alongside him, Xavi has executed more passes in the tournament everyone else, his total of 455 being 101 more than Pirlo.
Both players have won the World Cup, but for the story called Xavi, with any player who has appeared in two finals of the EURO victorious. "We have achieved great things," said Xavi, at 32 years eight months Pirlo junior. "We are fortunate to have a great generation of players."
"We continue to make history and we have another chance. We enjoy it and we are lucky, because it is our second [EUR] final. We want to show everyone that this side is still hungry for success and that our football is good."
For Xavi, the cycle of success began when Spain's predecessor Vicente del Bosque took over. "Luis [Aragonés] was the turning point," said Xavi after UEFA EURO 2008. "He took a small commitment that began with him. Putting players like [Andres] Iniesta, [Santi] Cazorla, Cesc Fabregas, [David] Smith and [David] Villa in the team."
Issue that was returned in the press conference. "I feel fortunate, because for several years, football had a tendency to be more physical," said Xavi. "We want to produce spectacular games. Players like Pirlo and players from Spanish and Italian teams play a similar style, so I'm very happy, happy that the tendency is to play for real and attack more." Few would disagree with that.
Four years ago in Austria and Switzerland was Xavi Hernandez, who was honored for his metronomic wide move to Spain ended more than four decades of disappointment. Now similar acclaim could be heading to Andrea Pirlo as if Italy beat the starters in the final of the UEFA EURO 2012.
Coming from the back of a stellar season with Juventus - in which he appeared in all but one game during unbeaten Juventus won the Scudetto campaign - Pirlo was the chief orchestrator of the Azzurri in Poland and Ukraine. A classic 'regista', has directed the play of his deep-lying midfield position behind Italy Strait of three.
A sumptuous free-kick against Croatia, a pair of assists and three Carlsberg Awards party - more than any other player - means he is the man his teammates and coach Cesare Prandelli look Sunday night.
"Our midfield has a lot of quality in it, we can run and push the ball a lot there and we have a great player who can raise the level, Andrea Pirlo," said Prandelli in the press conference prior to the final. "Often, the other players just work to get the ball to him, to give space to make things."
He did so in the quarter-final against England last week, completing a record of 117 passes EURO, albeit with the help of extra time. And who can forget that style Panenka penalty in the pressure situation of the penalties?
His head to head with Xavi at the Olympic Stadium in Kiev is undoubtedly one of the purists. The FC Barcelona is part of what Sir Alex Ferguson called the Blaugrana's famous' carousel of death - and with good reason. With club-mate Sergio Busquets alongside him, Xavi has executed more passes in the tournament everyone else, his total of 455 being 101 more than Pirlo.
Both players have won the World Cup, but for the story called Xavi, with any player who has appeared in two finals of the EURO victorious. "We have achieved great things," said Xavi, at 32 years eight months Pirlo junior. "We are fortunate to have a great generation of players."
"We continue to make history and we have another chance. We enjoy it and we are lucky, because it is our second [EUR] final. We want to show everyone that this side is still hungry for success and that our football is good."
For Xavi, the cycle of success began when Spain's predecessor Vicente del Bosque took over. "Luis [Aragonés] was the turning point," said Xavi after UEFA EURO 2008. "He took a small commitment that began with him. Putting players like [Andres] Iniesta, [Santi] Cazorla, Cesc Fabregas, [David] Smith and [David] Villa in the team."
Issue that was returned in the press conference. "I feel fortunate, because for several years, football had a tendency to be more physical," said Xavi. "We want to produce spectacular games. Players like Pirlo and players from Spanish and Italian teams play a similar style, so I'm very happy, happy that the tendency is to play for real and attack more." Few would disagree with that.
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