Jorge Barraza: What the Euro and the Copa América show us | Columnists | sports

For the first time the America’s Cup and the Euro Cup are played head-to-head. It is difficult to follow everything, there are many days of three games there and two here. But it is still fascinating. And there are lots of conclusions, sensations, unforgettable moments.

The new Italy. It is the great world football news: the remarkable moment of the Azzurra, its transformation. Four years after his strong disappointment – being eliminated from the World Cup in Russia by a very discreet Sweden – the stage of coach Roberto Mancini has already reached the qualification of “work”. Italy seems to have forever shelved the catenaccio, even the defensive spirit that was impregnated in its people, and it re-blossomed in a magnificent version, of good football, of touch, with several quality exponents such as Barella, Insigne, Locatelli, Berardi, Spinazzola … The whole country is happy, but about all proud of this new face, as the headlines of The Gazzetta dello Sport, Tuttosport, el Corriere…

Demolishing number. Not only does the homeland of the Football, also crushes. He played ten games for the Euro Qualifiers and won all ten, with 37 goals for and 4 against. But he didn’t play against anyone, he told himself. He began qualifying for the World Cup in Qatar and won his three matches (all three by 2 to 0); He started the Eurocup and beat Turkey and Switzerland 3-0. A bulldozer. He defends well, dominates games, handles the ball delicately, proposes and attacks with efficiency.

The modern goal. Manuel Locatelli, right midfielder, pointed out against Switzerland a goal that defines today’s football: ten meters before the center circle he received a high ball from the left and, without dropping it, from the air, made a beautiful pass thirty meters to the right to Pointer Berardi, he controlled, faced, overflowed, centered and, in the heart of the area, Locatelli appeared to break goalkeeper Sommer’s net. He set up the play in a defensive sector and ran 60 meters to go find the goal. A postcard of the mixed, off-road footballer who marks and plays, full of dynamics and dedication. And with high technique …

Ay, Milan … The shocking Euro that Locatelli is playing is going to bring a tail at AC Milan, for sure. The boy, 23 years old, started in the lower rossoneras, but after three seasons they did not trust him (they preferred to take a veteran like Lucas Biglia) and gave him a two-year loan to Sassuolo, who now made use of the option and signed him permanently for 13.5 million euros. Today it is worth five times more and Juventus wants it.

Hey, Juventus… The same has happened with Óscar Romero, the crack that Scaloni found in Argentina, a superclass defender. Juventus bought his pass from Belgrano de Córdoba, gave it to Atalanta for two years with an option and the Bergamasco club has taken it for just 15 million euros. Manchester United wants it and there is talk of, at least, 45 million.

Beautiful Euro. Apart from Italy (which we see to reach very high), there were spectacular matches like the one on Saturday Germany 4 – Portugal 2, Denmark 1 – Belgium 2 (with two fabulous goals from Thorgan Hazard and De Bruyne), Holland 3 – Ukraine 2. Beyond the scoreboards, dynamic, attractive football, with an audience in the stadiums (in Budapest with 56,000 attendees and in others, such as Copenhagen, with 25,000). As always, the staging in Europe is impeccable.

Bright the VAR. We always had it clear: VAR is the greatest thing that happened to world football. It is being used judiciously and in moderation. And rightly…! He has corrected and applied justice in all his interventions, taking less and less time. Even in South America…! The tendency is for there not to be a VAR show, for the referee to referee, but to help him when he may fail. This is what this wonderful tool was created for. Nor are those minimal, casual and inevitable hands being sanctioned where there is no fraud and they do not deserve the punishment of a criminal. In a couple of years, even those who were horrified by the arrival of the VAR will be its fervent defenders.

And our glass …? For now, we see a lower level of entertainment in the Copa América. It is clear that, today, we are marching one lap less than Europe. Nor has it disappointed. But the goals do not help (just 2 per game on average), it is played without any public, Venezuela presents an emerging team without its 16 best players (except Wilker Faríñez, who is). And the scenarios … The stadiums are magnificent, those left by the 2014 World Cup in Rio de Janeiro, Brasilia, Goiania and Cuiabá, the playing fields are lamentable. Ten minutes into each game there are a thousand loaves of grass raised, the players are not doing well and it is difficult to shine like that.

The success: play. Despite all the protests, we think it is good that the Copa América is played. Soccer is an activity like any other and they all continue, it deserves to continue developing like the others. Nobody dies because this or that tournament is held and, without an audience, it does not represent any danger. Biosafety protocols are strict. Perhaps the change of venues was sloppy, the previous uncertainty, but now that it is crystallizing we see that there were no real reasons to cancel the tournament.

Two geniuses. Brazil is a step above the rest, although it is true that it faced a Venezuela B (pulling C). And a weak Peru. But he has plenty of players to put together a winning eleven and he has Tite, a tremendous driver. Without much left over, Argentina comes immediately after. In what they are even is in Neymar and Messi. Ney wants to be champion of the Cup that was denied him due to injury in 2009, he has composed two wonderful matches, full of fantasy and luxury. Leo maintains his cool regularity. He is at a point of peak wisdom. It makes everything brilliant, it is the protagonist. He rarely appears placed in attack, initiates all the plays from behind with a majestic clairvoyance. At 34… (O)

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