Spain v Italy LIVE: Latest score as heavyweights collide in potential Euro 2024 thriller

6 min: Pedri slides into a challenge with Pellegrini and catches the Italian forward on the shin. The referee is quickly on to the scene to award a foul, though Pedri’s opponents are urging more. No card is forthcoming, however, and Pellegrini soon hops to his feet.

4 min: Williams has made a brilliant start and he’s jinking into the box again a moment later, though this time the ball just slides away from his control as he reaches the six-yard box.

2 min: Neco Williams races down the left side and floats a cross perfectly on to the head of Pedri, but the midfielder’s header is diverted over the bar by Donnarumma. Bright by Spain, and that was a big chance.

The referee gives his whistle a peep, and we’re off!

The players are out on the pitch in Gelsenkirchen and lined up for the national anthems.

A reminder of the two line-ups tonight, as Spain make the only change in either line-up with Aymeric Laporte coming into defence in place of Nacho.

Spain XI: Simon; Carvajal, Le Normand, Laporte, Cucurella; Pedri, Rodri, Ruiz; Yamal, Morata, Williams.

Italy XI: Donnarumma; Di Lorenzo, Bastoni, Calafiori, Dimarco; Jorginho, Barella; Chiesa, Frattesi, Pellegrini; Scamacca.

Spain attempted just 455 passes during the 3-0 win over Croatia, less than half of their total from the existential crisis of a defeat to Morocco in the last 16 in of the 2022 World Cup. If it showed how much has already changed since the days of Luis Enrique, with Serbia, Switzerland and Austria all attempting more passes than Spain in their opening matches, Italy’s total was just as instructive. By contrast, no team attempted more passes than Italy in the Azzuri’s opening win over Albania in Dortmund.

But Spalletti, a perfectionist, demanded more. He always does. “What matters is winning? No, what matters is playing good football,” Spalletti said after the 2-1 victory over Albania, a night that saw the Azzurri recover from the fastest goal in European Championship history. “In order to be Italy’s head coach, or in order for us, we only have one route to do so – that’s via good football,” he said. “If you don’t play good football, there are teams better than us. If you go and play with the same things the better teams have, they will win.”

What an atmosphere already in Gelsenkirchen. A real sense of occasion and the feel of a knockout tie as we get our first big clash of two heavyweight nations at Euro 2024.

Lamine Yamal became the youngest player to appear in a European Championship as Spain’s new generation brushed aside Croatia’s challenge 3-0 in their opening game.

Yamal, aged 16 years, 338 days, also became the youngest to set up a goal at the tournament when he crossed for Dani Carvajal to score Spain’s third goal before the break.

The Barcelona forward, who was born after Croatia midfielder Luka Modric was playing in Euro 2008, was praised by Luis de la Fuente after the game and has been given the nod to start against Italy.

“Yamal is impressing everyone and going up through the levels,” De la Fuente said. “He has to keep improving every day, and over time he will become a wonderful footballer.”

Spain head coach Luis de la Fuente ahead of facing Italy: “They are contenders in every international competition. Spain vs Italy is a classic game, it could very easily be the final.

“They have great players, a great coach, and a real football culture. They’re one of the great national teams. I’m sure it’ll be a great show and a great game. It will be a contest worthy of this competition. We’ll do our best to win it.

“We are prepared to get muddy, to dig deep in a quarry and for a day in the office. Ready for everything. We know what kind of football they play and how competitive they are, so we won’t be surprised. I expect a strong, aggressive Italy who will try to control possession.”